Waving flags and globally shared hashtags, petitions and demonstrations with thousands of people - protest has many faces and is more topical than ever. Despite their diversity, all protest movements also have things in common and a similar dynamic. But how do protests come about in the first place? What makes people angry? What motivates them to take to the streets for freedom and justice?
From October 2024, the aim of the experiential exhibition "PROTEST! From anger to movement" at the Württemberg State Museum. Immerse yourself in past and current protest movements. Learn about the means and opportunities to help shape the future through your protest.
"PROTEST!" exhibition: "Black Lives Matter" protest © Roland Hägele
From anti-nuclear power to Black Lives Matter
The exhibition shows well-known movements for social justice and equality worldwide and in the region. It examines how experiences of injustice, not being heard and deprivation lead to people networking and rebelling - and also how protest can escalate and what consequences it can have.
In immersive worlds and interactive stations, you can learn about the structures and processes of movements and recurring protests for social justice and equality - globally and regionally, from the peace movement to Fridays for Future. Take part in a human chain in the exhibition, start a petition, listen to protest songs in a squat and let yourself be carried away by the energy of a demonstration.
Exhibition "PROTEST!": Demo Human Dignity © Landesmuseum Württemberg
In a forum at the end of the exhibition, you can discuss current and possible future protest movements: After visiting the exhibition or at events, exchange ideas with others and develop new answers to the question: How do we want to live in the future? What should the world look like that is worth protesting for? The exhibition concludes with a forum on the topic of utopia, which invites visitors to engage with current and possible future protest movements. Visitors of all ages are encouraged to play an active role in shaping the future of our society creatively and through mutual exchange.
With the highly topical theme of "protest", the exhibition offers numerous points of reference for a broad audience and an impetus for social discourse in the city and throughout the country.
October 27, 2024 to May 4, 2025
Occasion and historical example "500 years of the Peasants' War"
In 1524/25, people in the south-west also struggled for a better future: in the so-called "Peasants' War", they protested against serfdom and religious bondage. This first mass movement in history is interwoven into the dramaturgy of "PROTEST!" and reveals similarities and differences to the movements of the present day.
The Peasants' War of 1524/25 is one of the most significant events in our history. Under the patronage of Minister President Winfried Kretschmann, the Württemberg State Museum is commemorating it with a total of five projects - throughout Baden-Württemberg and online.
