Crasse

From antiquity to the present day, the new special exhibition at MUKS delves into the cultural history of hygiene and dirt, humorously demonstrating that cleanliness is always a matter of time and perspective.

Hardly anything occupies our everyday lives as unconsciously and yet as intensely as the line between clean and dirty. What was considered healthy yesterday is unhygienic today. What is impeccable to some makes others run away. Yet our sense of disgust and our need for cleanliness are constantly changing.

History to Experience

From spotlessly clean eras to extremely dirty periods, the cultural history of hygiene, dirt, and disgust tells us one thing above all: a great deal about ourselves. What matters to us today when it comes to personal hygiene? Were there times when water was completely frowned upon? How did past generations deal with their waste? When and how did the government intervene in matters of hygiene? Who makes the mess, and who cleans it up? And why are children so fascinated by poop, farts, and the like? The exhibition takes a close look at these aspects as well as contemporary issues such as fast fashion, microplastics, and our daily water consumption.

An Expedition with Dirty Surprises

Visitors—young and old alike—will discover how upbringing, habit, prosperity, and scientific progress shape our perceptions of what is clean and what is unclean. At the same time, they’re invited to explore and question their own “dirty ideas.” All on their own or up close and personal with others in the “Chat Pool,” while emptying their pockets or leaving behind “dirty” words. And anyone who needs a break from all the dirt can settle in on the large, cozy “exhibition gut” with audio reports and books.

Program & School Activities

The exhibition is complemented by a diverse supporting program. Among other things, this program takes visitors to “dirty” places in the region, offers Cleanup Days, laundry and bath days in the museum courtyard, as well as all kinds of workshops and guided tours on the topic. Accompanying the exhibition is a school program aligned with Curriculum 21.

For adults and children ages 6 and up.

Note: This text was translated by machine translation software and not by a human translator. It may contain translation errors.