Key handover for Leibniz Center: RGZM becomes LEIZA

Created: 09/28/2022, 19:32

When the keys are officially handed over, guests stand in front of the building of the new Leibniz Center for Archeology on the edge of Mainz's old town.

© Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa

Key handover at the Mainz Research Museum for Archaeology: This marks the beginning of a new era for the institution, which was founded in 1852.

This includes a new name.

Mainz - The Roman-Germanic Central Museum (RGZM) in Mainz will be called the Leibniz Center for Archeology (LEIZA) from 2023.

The RGZM only names a small part of the range of research at the institution and does not reflect the affiliation with the Leibniz Association, explained General Director Alexandra Busch on Wednesday the change of name after 170 years.

"We work on three continents with 2.6 million years."

The aim of the research is "to better understand human behavior, actions and changes in society," said Busch at the ceremonial handover of the keys for the 60 million euro building in the south of the old town.

"The commissioning of the new building enables a quantum leap for research, research infrastructure and transfers."

The move from the Electoral Palace to the new building, which was completed after seven years of construction, is scheduled to begin on October 4 and be completed by the end of the year.

"The actual work for the employees is only just beginning," said Science Minister Clemens Hoch.

The SPD politician called the new building a milestone for the institute and for the city.

The permanent exhibition will be on display by 2024 at the latest, said Hoch.

It will be about "living together", "the glue that holds us together as a community," announced Busch.

"It's about being human, being together in society."

Construction and Finance Minister Doris Ahnen (SPD) called the new building an "additional eye-catcher in Mainz" that combines cultural and scientific use.

A unique ensemble of history was created at the entrance to the city, said Lord Mayor Michael Ebling (SPD) and referred to the neighboring Museum of Ancient Shipping, the citadel with the Drususstein and the Roman theater.

A place for international research, museums and a lively dialogue between science and society that is unique in Germany is to be created in the Leibniz Center for Archeology.

The total usable area is around 9700 square meters.

Of this, almost 3,000 square meters are used for the exhibition areas, 1,300 square meters for archaeological workshops and around 1,250 square meters for the library.

The library is moving ahead: more than 200,000 books and other media will be brought into the new building over a period of around four to five weeks.

Nine kilometers of shelf space should be freely accessible and an international study center should be developed from the specialist library, as Busch said.

The books are followed by workshops and offices as well as the collection of the RGZM.

Since the previous museum closed in 2017, the more than 220,000 objects have been cleaned at several stations, compared with inventory books, subjected to a general inventory, digitized and packed to be safe for moving.

dpa