Name unveiled: Future migration museum to be called Museum Selma

22 October 2024

• New name stands for internationality and diversity
• Museum closes a gap in the culture of remembrance in Germany
• History of the migration society is told in many voices
• NRW Integration Minister Paul emphasizes the importance of the project
• NRW Minister of Culture Brandes: “Unique project in Germany”
• Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth: “Name strengthens female perspective”

Cologne, 22.10.2024 - Engines used to be produced in the hall, soon the history of Germany will be retold. In an old industrial hall on the former KHD site in Cologne-Kalk, NRW Integration Minister Josefine Paul and DOMiD Managing Director Robert Fuchs opened a curtain. Behind it was the name of the museum, which is due to open on this site in 2029. “Museum Selma” was emblazoned in large letters between the steel beams of the hall.

DOMiD Marketing Manager Timo Glatz explains the name: “We were looking for a unique name that is easy to remember, works internationally and fits the concept of our migration museum. The name Museum Selma combines a Celtic meaning of 'beautiful view' with Arabic roots meaning 'harmony' and 'peace'. The name Selma is used as a female first name in dozens of countries around the world. We made a conscious decision to use a female name in order to strengthen the female perspective, especially in the often male-perceived phenomenon of migration.”

DOMiD developed the name with the Berlin creative agency Ballhaus West and is announcing it to the public for the first time today. The development process was made possible by funding from the NRW Ministry of Integration. This will be accompanied by a local outdoor advertising campaign on cultural spaces and digital media in Cologne, sponsored by Ströer. At the same time, a website will go online, which was created with the support of the Rhineland Regional Council (LVR) and will provide information on the progress of the construction and design of the museum over the coming years: www.museum-selma.de.

Support from the federal government, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the city of Cologne

While the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia are providing investment funds of 44.26 million euros, the City of Cologne is providing support by making the building and land available under heritable building rights. An award procedure for architecture and exhibition design is currently underway. The winning design will be presented in spring next year.

Josefine Paul, NRW Integration Minister, emphasized the importance of the DOMiD collection, which has been funded by the state of NRW for many years: “The more than 150,000 testimonies that DOMiD has collected over the past 30 years make it possible for us to experience how diverse the stories and contributions of immigrants to our society are. The collection is an important and living testimony to our migration society. What began more than three decades ago as a grassroots civil society project by immigrants themselves is now finally becoming a permanent museum space for society as a whole. This is also a sign that migration has helped shape our society and that the history of immigration and the people who have come to us are an integral part of our country's history.”

NRW Minister of Culture Ina Brandes made a video message to mark the announcement of the name: “The Selma Museum is a unique project in Germany that enriches the German culture of remembrance. This unique cultural site tells the story of how our country has become a migrant society - with all its positive aspects and challenges. This is a lively meeting place that brings people together. That is why we are very happy to support this important project for North Rhine-Westphalia.”

Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth: “The Selma Museum creates a bridge to the lives and experiences of people with a history of immigration. The aim is to make tangible what it means to put down new roots in Germany and become part of this diverse, equal society - especially as a woman. After all, the female perspective in particular is still given far too little attention in debates about the opportunities and difficulties of immigration to Germany. I am therefore all the more grateful that the new Selma Migration Museum gives this perspective a prominent place with its very name.”