Opening of the Visitor Center Bernau

OPENING OF THE VISITOR CENTER BERNAU FOR THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE BAUHAUS ON 11 FEBRUARY 2022

Finally, the time had come: On Friday, February 11, after some delay, the new Visitor Center for the UNESCO World Heritage Bauhaus in Bernau could be opened on the site of the former ADGB Trade Union School. The new pavilion building is located directly opposite the historic structure built between 1928 and 1930, which was designed by Swiss architects Hannes Meyer and Hans Wittwer and involved the workshops of the legendary Bauhaus.

Even the shape of the new building, with its large glass surfaces, appears transparent and inviting. Visitors are welcome to come here from now on to obtain comprehensive information about the history of the construction and use of the former Trade Union School, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017.

Thus, the Hannes-Meyer-Campus, consisting of the former Trade Union School of the General German Trade Union Federation (ADGB), the Oberstufenzentrum I Barnim and the barnim-gymnasium (highschool), is enriched by another institution. "Here, too, the focus is on encounter, education and mediation," as Dr. Anja Guttenberger, director of the Visitor Center Bernau, points out.

Thus, visitors can expect a wide range of opportunities to explore the entire area of the Trade Union School. In guided tours, which are offered every Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., visitors can explore both the outdoor area and the historic interiors. Workshops, lectures and film screenings in the rooms of the Visitor Center Bernau round out the program, which aims to appeal to adults as well as children and young people.

The new Visitor Center is owned by the town of Bernau bei Berlin and operated by BeSt Bernauer Stadtmarketing GmbH. At the grand opening, Mayor André Stahl welcomed numerous invited guests from the worlds of politics, art and business, including the new Federal Minister of Construction, Klara Geywitz, Brandenburg's Minister of Culture, Manja Schüle, and the building's architect, Thomas Steimle.