360 degree tour: Explore Brehm Library online
The Brehm Foundation Library in Bad Arolsen has launched its digital 360-degree tour: you can now wander through the 20 rooms of the library online, discover historical books, maps and furniture from around 1800 or interactively assist apprentice Till with historical book printing. Access is available via the foundation's website at www.bibliothekbrehm.de.
Bringing cultural treasures to new life digitally
The 360-degree tour is part of the digitisation project "Bringing old cultural treasures to new life digitally: The Brehm Library as an interactive museum", which the foundation is implementing with the help of the state of Hesse and the district of Waldeck-Frankenberg as part of the "Starke Heimat Hessen" programme. The aim is to make the foundation's offerings in the Bad Arolsen Residential Palace a digital experience.
"With this project, we are specifically strengthening rural areas by combining high-tech with cultural offerings and thus providing new impetus for attractiveness and tourism. At the same time, we are enabling broader cultural participation by making previously exclusive knowledge accessible and tangible. The innovative use of gamification opens up new ways of imparting knowledge. Last but not least, the project has a model character, as it combines monument protection - for example using the example of a castle - with scientific expertise and modern information technology in an exemplary way," says Digital Minister Prof. Dr Kristina Sinemus during the visit at the end of the project.
Wander through the library online with the swipe of a finger
In the digital tour, the library rooms were captured with a 360-degree camera to make them an online experience. Users can project the entire library onto their own device - be it a PC, smartphone or tablet. The rooms are programmed and digitally connected in such a way that you can wander through the entire library digitally with a swipe of your finger on the display and examine everything at your leisure. You are digitally accompanied by historical figures such as Albrecht Dürer or Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who transport the audience into a world full of stories and culture.
Interactive exhibition space in the foyer
The first major milestone of the project was reached last spring with the launch of the foundation's new website, including an online booking system for guided tours and the presentation of the corporate design. With the launch of the digital 360-degree tour, the foundation is taking big steps towards finalising the project - and further opening up the library to young and older visitors.
This also includes the creation of an interactive exhibition space in the foyer of the foundation, where visitors can discover the library on their own - even without registering for a guided tour. VR glasses, interactive knowledge games, tablets and audio guides provide information on the exhibits on display, as well as a digital touch table that allows visitors to immerse themselves in the Foundation's historical world of maps.
Dovetailing with Bad Arolsen's marketing
"The Brehm Library is one of the most important private libraries in the German-speaking world, with a collection of around 44,000 historical books and exhibits dating from the beginnings of book printing to the end of the 20th century," says District Administrator Jürgen van der Horst. "As part of the digitisation project, we want to bring this exciting content to life digitally."
The foundation is also working together with the town of Bad Arolsen. "As an interactive museum, the Brehm Library will continue to emphasise the profile of our residential town as a cultural and historical destination," emphasises the mayor of Bad Arolsen, Marko Lambion. "We are therefore also networking our marketing activities here accordingly in order to generate even more attention for Bad Arolsen as a tourist destination."
The digitisation project at the Brehm Foundation Library aims to make a lasting contribution to this. All culture and history enthusiasts of all ages are cordially invited to explore the library - with just a few clicks from the comfort of their own sofa, on the interactive exhibition area in the foyer of the foundation or as part of a booked guided tour of the sophisticated premises in the residential palace. The Foundation team cordially invites you to do so.
"We are delighted that District Administrator van der Horst provided the impetus for this project at the time and we are grateful that the Minister, Professor Kristina Sinemus, took up the idea after a visit to the library and supported us with a generous grant. This enables us to present our library on the Internet and show that it is more than just dusty knowledge between the covers of a book. The redesigned entrance area now offers an uncomplicated and low-threshold way to discover our treasures using tablets, VR glasses or a multi-touch table," concludes Kerstin Braun, Managing Director of the Brehm Library Foundation.
Background: Funding from the "Starke Heimat Hessen" state programme
In spring 2020, the Hessian state government set up the Smart Regions office in the Digital Minister's office to support local authorities and facilitate exchange and networking. The "Starke Heimat Hessen" programme supports local authorities with important projects for the future. This includes the district together with the town of Bad Arolsen as part of the project "Bringing old cultural treasures to new life digitally. The project is funded by the Hessian Ministry for Digitalisation and Innovation through the "Starke Heimat Hessen" programme for the promotion of smart municipalities and regions with a quota of 90 percent; the other 10 percent is provided by the district of Waldeck-Frankenberg. The project has a total investment volume of 288,000 euros and is scheduled for completion in mid-2026.
Caption: During a visit to the Brehm Library Foundation in Bad Arolsen Castle, Hessian Digital Minister Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus (2nd from left) saw the digitisation project "Bringing old cultural treasures to new life digitally: The Brehm Library as an interactive museum", which is financially supported by the state of Hesse. It was presented by the Foundation's research assistant Philipp Wecker (left) and Managing Director Kerstin Braun (3rd from right) in the presence of District Administrator Jürgen van der Horst (right) and the Mayor of Bad Arolsen Marko Lambion (2nd from right).
