Special Exhibition

The special exhibitions focus on specific themes related to the history, life, and work in Lichtenberg. They highlight individual people, events, or places and connect them to the present day.

These exhibitions encourage visitors to take a closer look, learn interesting facts about Lichtenberg, and engage in conversation about the here and now.

Admission to all exhibitions is free of charge.

Renaming?! Berlin’s Street Names and Their History

Street signs in Berlin on a lamppost. Above is the new street sign; below is the old sign with the name covered up — Street signs on lampposts in Berlin.Photo: Bellmann, Museum Lichtenberg

Duration: July 11, 2025, to April 12, 2026

Hours: Tue–Sun, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Admission to the exhibition is free.

The exhibition is complemented by a supporting program.

For centuries, street names have served not only as a means of navigation but also as a symbol of power and remembrance within the urban landscape. In Lichtenberg, every historical era has left its mark on the street names.

How much of the district’s history is reflected in street and square names, and how much of a broader regional or international context? Where do these commemorative markers refer to geographical or urban features?

Now that the power to rename streets lies primarily with the citizens and their elected representatives, the issue is being debated more controversially than ever. The exhibition is dedicated to this struggle by the citizens of Lichtenberg for ownership and change. It is a joint project between the Active Museum of Fascism and Resistance in Berlin e.V., the Working Group of Berlin Regional Museums, and the Museum Lichtenberg.

Industrial Towers of the Former VEB Elektrokohle Berlin | February 10–April 5, 2026

Industrial Tower (formerly VEB Elektrokohle) — Industrial towers of the former VEB Elektrokohle BerlinPhoto: Marlene Gawrisch, © Museum Lichtenberg 2026

Laufzeit: 10. Februar bis 5. April 2026

Unweit des Dong-Xuan-Centers ragen zwei Industrietürme in den Himmel – Relikte einer längst vergangenen Berliner Industriegeschichte.
Der Betrieb Siemens-Plania entstand an diesem Standort 1899 und entwickelte Kohlen für Motoren, Lampen, Brennöfen und Mikrofone.

Im zweiten Weltkrieg wurden hier Zwangsarbeiterinnen und Zwangsarbeiter in der kriegswichtigen Produktion eingesetzt.
1954 wurde der Betrieb in VEB Elektrokohle Berlin umbenannt. In dessen Kulturhaus fanden unterschiedlichste Veranstaltungen statt, so im Jahre 1989 ein berühmtes Konzert mit der Band Einstürzende Neubauten.

Überreste sind die zwei “Geschwistertürme”, deren Anblick an mittelalterliche Familientürme in oberitalienischen Städten erinnert. Ein Turm wurde nach Entwürfen des Berliner Architekten Arno Brandlhuber saniert und einer neuen Nutzung als Workplace übergeben. Die Berliner Fotografin Marlene Gawrisch konnte während der Sanierung immer wieder Fotos machen: www.ausblenden.de