The LVR-Industriemuseum preserves and communicates the industrial cultural heritage of the Rhineland at original sites, i.e. it is de-centrally anchored in the towns and some of the regions of the Rhineland. Consequently it does not regard itself as a museum with different branches but as a network of several equal sites. Each with their own individual unique features, they represent the various regional identities and showcase the diversity of industrial heritage in the Rhineland.
The LVR-Industriemuseum, when viewed as whole as the largest institution represented in all areas of the region, assumes the function of state museum and anchor point of industrial heritage in the Rhineland. It regards itself as coordinator and partner for the network of industrial heritage institutions which are supported by the LVR. It contributes its competence and its network platform for central services and at individual sites it assumes the function of a regional “Portal”. However, the LVR-Industriemuseum can only take on a key role for the industrial heritage of the region in close union with the Ruhr Museum as a “lighthouse”, for example in connection with the pending definition of a regionally tiered umbrella brand Industriekultur NRW (Industrial Heritage NRW).
The LVR-Industriemuseum is committed to the educational obligation of enabling equal participation of everyone in culture – whether poor or rich, young or old, with or without impairment, with or without a migration background. With topics from everyday life (e.g. cultural history of clothing), located in former work locations, it presents itself as a low threshold cultural institution of everyone for everyone. It therefore remains true to the tradition of the idea at its conception but develops this further to become an inclusive and participative museum which reaches out not only with content but also in its communication and work methods. Therefore and with a consistent service orientation, the LVR Industriemuseum aims to be an inclusive cultural environment under the motto “Quality for People”.
The LVR-Industriemuseum sees itself as a forum for industrial society which is more than a place of remembrance and a museum about an assumed bygone age. As a museum in the industrial society it uses current topics to face up to the continuous structural change in its cultural and social implications. This is the museum’s reply to a recently resurgent awareness of the industrial foundations of our society.
In the industrial museum culture and technology come together such as this only occurs in few other places. The museum welcomes both those interested in culture and those interested in technology and makes a specific contribution to the educational prerequisites which require the social participation of everyone in the industrial future – namely historical understanding and technical competence („MINT“- Mathematics, Computer Science IT, Natural Science, Technology).
