Gotha Genial?!: Unveiling the City’s Intellectual Legacy
The Friedenstein Foundation, in commemoration of Gotha’s grand city anniversary, presents a major exhibition highlighting the remarkable ideas that have emerged from this historic city. "Gotha has so much more to offer than just a traditional city history exhibit," said curator Sonja Grulke.
The exhibition, titled "Gotha Genial?! Geistesblitze und Dauerbrenner aus 1250 Jahren" (Gotha Genius?! Bright Sparks and Enduring Ideas from 1250 Years), running from April 27th to October 26th, delves into the life of Ernst Mann Arnoldi (1778 – 1841), who founded a fire insurance bank in Gotha, laying the foundation for the insurance industry in Germany.
The exhibition also explores the carousels manufactured by Fritz Bothmann (1858-1928), the maps of the Perthes publishing house, and other groundbreaking developments that have brought fame to Gotha far beyond its borders. Additionally, the foundation is actively participating in the city’s festivities marking the 1250th anniversary of Gotha’s first documented mention.
A Unique Encounter Between Chinese Gold and Gotha’s Treasures
In a separate exhibition, "Chinas Gold und Gothas Schätze – eine einzigartige Begegnung" (Chinese Gold and Gotha’s Treasures – A Unique Encounter), scheduled for June 21st, 2025, to January 11th, 2026, exquisite jewelry, vases, and other goldsmith works from the Chinese Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) will be juxtaposed with treasures from the ducal art collection.
The Return of a Stolen Masterpiece
Independent of the China exhibition, a priceless drinking cup in the form of a gilded silver pheasant will be on display at the Ducal Museum. The bird had been part of the art cabinet since 1846. The foundation believes that the piece was unlawfully removed from the collection during the war in 1945. It later resurfaced in the art market, where it was acquired by a collector in Argentina.
The pheasant was most recently located in Uruguay, from where it was successfully repatriated to Gotha with the support of the Gotha Cultural Foundation. The foundation invested 50,000 euros in the endeavor.
Impressive Visitor Numbers
Last year, the foundation welcomed around 144,000 visitors, with 120,000 of them visiting the museums. In 2023, the total number of visitors was approximately 127,600, and in 2022, it was close to 143,200.
