Kestnergesellschaft, Art museum in Mitte, Hanover, Germany
The Kestnergesellschaft is an art association housed in the former Goseriedebad, an Art Nouveau indoor swimming pool in central Hanover. Its five halls on two levels provide 1,500 square metres of exhibition space, plus a library, bookshop and bistro. The building was converted by architects Koch, Panse and Hühn and received the BDA Prize in 1997.
The museum was founded in 1916 and began with an exhibition of works by artist Max Liebermann. Since then it has grown into a major venue for contemporary art presentations.
The building's name comes from the Goseriedebad, the indoor swimming pool that once occupied it; the men's pool hall was taken over by the radio station Radio ffn, while the former women's pool and entrance hall became exhibition rooms. The Kestnergesellschaft is run as a Kunstverein with around 3,500 members (2012), and its programme has long mixed solo shows with themed group exhibitions such as the Made in Germany series, organised jointly with the Kunstverein Hannover and the Sprengel Museum.
The museum is centrally located in Hanover's downtown and easily accessible on foot from other attractions. It is advisable to check opening hours in advance and gather information about special exhibitions or programs if interested.
The museum has published limited Kestnereditions since 2003 exclusively for members, documenting its exhibition history. These publications offer insight into the institution's artistic development over more than two decades.
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