German military history is part of our cultural history. This notion forms the basis for the redevelopment of the German Army’s Military History Museum in Dresden. The concept and design of the exhibition are intended to create a dialogue between conventional and unconventional views and to make this complex topic accessible to the whole of society in a completely new way.

Through its architectural language, the new permanent exhibition enters into a symbiosis with both the Museum’s Neoclassical building and the wedge-shaped extension by Daniel Libeskind, which slices through the existing structure’s central wing.

The content and design of the exhibition reflect the architectural contrast between the Museum’s two parts: the Chronology in the old building traces the history of Germany’s military in the form of a timeline, while the Themed Tour in the new extension deals with individual aspects and phenomena concerning the military that have had a lasting impact on society throughout the ages.

The starting point for designing the two new zones was an exhibition space totalling more than 10,000 square metres and housing over 7,500 items from the smallest pin badge to field postcards and even a space capsule.

The Chronology presents Germany’s military history from 1300 to the present day. Representative exhibits transport the visitor into each era, providing orientation and an overview. Individual displays act as "talking pictures" that vividly evoke the atmosphere of the age. Display cases meandering through the rooms present selected historical objects in the manner of a shop window. Visitors can immerse themselves in the labyrinthine route stretching almost 1,350 metres in length.

The Themed Tour in the extension, meanwhile, aims to touch the visitor emotionally. The exhibition addresses eight topics: War and Memory, Politics and Violence, Cives et Miles, Suffering in War, Military Formations, Animals in the Military, Military and Technology, and Protection and Destruction. Visitors will be able to enter installations that occupy whole rooms, bringing the various topics to life with striking imagery. The arrangement of the mostly large-scale, freestanding exhibits fits perfectly into the space and capitalises on its dynamics. Holzer Kobler Architekturen has transposed the open lines of sight created by Daniel Libeskind to the content of the exhibition. Staggering thematically related exhibits from small to large links up the content while at the same time emphasising the space’s visual relationships. The highlight of the tour is the view of Dresden Libeskind has provided from the tip of the wedge on the uppermost floor.

An additional narrative level offers critical reflection with the aid of contemporary multimedia art. Curated by Klaus vom Bruch, the works were created specially for the Military History Museum by artists including Nancy Davenport, Carsten Nicolai and Ingo Günther.

The architecture, exhibition design and content of the new Military History Museum were all developed hand in hand. The symbiosis between the space, the exhibition and the items on display appears entirely natural and constitutes a unique portrayal of the history of the military as part of german culture.