Flex in the Strauhof: New approaches for the cultural sector

Exterior view of the Strauhof museum in Zurich’s Old Town.

Project completed

Getting people excited about art and culture and letting them be experimental – often a difficult goal to achieve in the day-to-day business of the cultural sector. But it’s worth it. What happens, for example, when people can also visit a museum at night? If an audio drama provides an alternative sound track to an exhibition? If visitors can give their own rendition of famous speeches in front of the camera and then later watch the video at home or even share it with their colleagues?

New ways to experience the museum

The reopening of Strauhof Zurich in September 2015 also marked the start of the three-year collaborative project «Flex», focusing on new ways to experience the museum and enabled by the Migros Pioneer Fund. The Strauhof adopted an experimental programme to attract new groups of visitors that are not those who regularly attend literary exhibitions. For example the Strauhof stayed open until midnight every Thursday for a whole year. It also tested new ways of helping visitors to find their own individual «way of reading» the exhibitions, such as audio dramas or writing workshops.

The experiments continue

The Strauhof’s rebirth has been a success and its positioning as an experimental museum has worked. Flexible exhibition formats are today the museum’s hallmark. Every «experiment» is analysed and taken forward with collaboration partners and visitors– as part of a continuing quest to find a different, innovative museum.