The costs for the renovation of the Deutsches Museum in Munich are rising to 745 million euros. The Confederation and the Free State approved 300 additional millions, as the Bavarian Ministry of Science announced on Friday in Munich. So far, 445 million euros had already been provided for the general refurbishment.
It was only in October that the taxpayers' federation had criticized the restructuring, which at that time had amounted to 595 million. Now there are even 150 million more. For comparison: The Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, which is now emblematic of cost explosions in cultural buildings, cost the taxpayers with about 800 million euros not so much more - and it was not renovated, but completely rebuilt.
The Federal Government and the Free State share the additional 300 million for the Deutsches Museum, according to Minister of Science Bernd Sibler (CSU). The minister spoke of a "great community effort", it was a sign that both were "aware of their responsibility for this strong public magnet and internationally acclaimed treasure of masterpieces of science and technology".
The "Zukunftsinitiative Deutsches Museum" was decided in 2010; the renovation takes place in two stages, so that always half of the building remains accessible to visitors. As the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" reports, among other things, the concrete proved to be too weak in many cases. The complicated support structure also contributed to the fact that the museum building on the Isar Island had become a problem case.