A new take on city history

Temporary space has been created in a repurposed file storage facility in Frankfurt am Main, allowing visitors to experience the city's key economic and cultural developments through a multifaceted exhibition.

3/6/2026

On 7 March 2026, a temporary exhibition space will open at Gutleutstraße 324 in Frankfurt am Main, in a former bank file storage facility: for ‘Frankfurt: City of WOW!’, around 800 years of city history have been translated into an extraordinary show that conveys this history in an effective and accessible way. The tour begins with a partially interactive exhibition at over 20 stations depicting Frankfurt's economic, cultural and social developments. Topics include trade, trade fairs, everyday life, migration, cultural exchange, and literary and musical trends. This is followed by a 270-degree projection approximately ten metres high, which, thanks to a light output of around 160,000 ANSI lumens, is one of the most powerful immersive installations in Frankfurt. It combines historical, current and future perspectives in a continuous visual sequence.

The project was developed on 1,200 square meters by Nordisk Büro, satis&fy, and Media Apparat as part of the World Design Capital Frankfurt Rhine-Main 2026 program. Messe Frankfurt is playing a central role, supporting the project as its main sponsor. ‘For us, design is not an aesthetic addition, but a driver for innovation, dialogue and sustainability,’ says Julia Uherek, Vice President Consumer Goods Fairs at Messe Frankfurt. Carolina Romahn, Managing Director of WDC 2026, emphasises the creative role of the project: "“Frankfurt: City of WOW!” is exactly what World Design Capital 2026 stands for: design as a language that makes history and society tangible for everyone."

By converting the vacant space into an exhibition space, a venue is also being created that will remain significant beyond the design year: the plan is to use the building as an interim location for the municipal theatre after the installation has been completed, until the planned new theatre and opera building is realised.

City of Wow!
Gutleutstrasse 324
60327 Frankfurt am Main

Opening hours:
Until December 2026
Wednesday to Sunday
10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Regular ticket price: 21 euros
Barrier-free access available