PRESS RELEASE

27.10.2016

House of Parliamentary History in Düsseldorf
Exploring the history of the state parliament

Exploring 70 years of parliamentary history: From 31 October onwards a new type of exhibition inspires at the recently established House of Parliamentary History (Haus der Parlamentsgeschichte) at the Villa Horion in Düsseldorf, Germany. Designed by ATELIER BRÜCKNER, this exhibition was set up to encourage dialogue and interaction: Accompanied by a guide, visitors walk through a series of four rooms, which allows them to immerse themselves in the history of the state parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The thematically dedicated rooms reveal their contents gradually: Via entering through double doors each set opens up into a new era. Every room presents a new venue of the state parliament. Historical furnishings, selected characteristic objects ­– including a suitcase, briefcase and telephone – as well as pictures and sound recordings convey the diverse time phases: from the day of constitution on 2 October 1946 in the Düsseldorf opera house and the provisional conference hall in the Henkel factories (1946–1949) to the revitalised Ständehaus (parliamentary meeting house, 1949–1988) and the currently used parliamentary building, a new building on the banks of the river Rhine. This impressive building designed by the architects Eller Moser Walter is within view of the Villa Horion. And the view out of the window is part of the staged setting.

The staging in the rooms serves as the framework for a dialogue between guide and visitors. Light settings together with the films and images that are shown are controlled individually. They alter the impression each room provides, while guiding the eye towards specific aspects of the exhibition. Thus, visitors experience the history of the state parliament actively. They sit on historical seats of the opera house and – like the members of parliament at that time – witness the constituting meeting, which is projected onto the double doors in the form of a large-format photo. In the conference hall of the Henkel factories with its closely packed rows of chairs, they experience the improvised character of the state parliament's first years, while the flair of the 1970s can be felt in the coffee shop (Kaffeeklappe) of the Ständehaus. The original seats of the state parliament on the river Rhine characterise the last of the exhibition rooms.

A time strip that passes through the entire sequence of rooms conveys data and facts. On the left-hand-side wall, the important political players are shown while a photo collage on the right in each room touches on the issues that the people in North Rhine-Westphalia had to deal with. All these issues were negotiated in the parliamentary chambers. People and issues come to life in a conversation with the guide. The altered working conditions of the members of parliament, their position within our society and the changing reports in the media become tangible.

Guided tours through the Villa Horion – itself a historical exhibit – are offered by the state parliament's visitor service free of charge. Originally built in 1910/11 as the official residence and place of work for the governor of the Rhine province (Johannes Horion worked here from 1922 to 1933), the villa was used by the minister president of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia from 1961 onwards. In the cabinet hall, which has been preserved in its original condition, it is literally possible to breathe in the atmosphere of this epoch. It can be accessed in the framework of a visit to the exhibition.

The House of Parliamentary History (Haus der Parlamentsgeschichte) is part of an overall concept intended to expand the range of information provided by the state parliament. In February 2016, a multi-media visitor centre was opened in the state parliament building – also designed by ATELIER BRÜCKNER.

KONTAKT

Villa Horion – House of Parliamentary History
Johannes-Rau-Platz 40213 Düsseldorf | Germany

Guided Tours Reservation
Besucherdienst des Landtag
T. +49 211 884 2955
besucherdienst(at)landtag.nrw.de

Presse Contact
State Parliament North Rhine-Westphalia
Wibke Busch
Public Relations, Deputy Press Officer
Platz des Landtags 1
40221 Düsseldorf | Germany
T. +49 0211 884-2324
F. +49 211 884-2250
wibke.busch(at)landtag.nrw.de
www.landtag.nrw.de

ATELIER BRÜCKNER GmbH
Claudia Luxbacher
Presse und Kommunikation
T. +49 711 5000 77 126
presse(at)atelier-brueckner.com
www.atelier-brueckner.com