69th International Children's Book Exhibition
The International Children's Book Exhibition is being shown at the Klingspor Museum for the 69th time. It presents current picture book creation in Germany and many other countries. The books on display are impressive in their design and visual language. Many of the selected children's books reflect social issues and discourses. The relevance of the selected works and their artistic design entice young and old to look and read every year.
Emotions and how to deal with them is a major theme of current picture book production. The books on this topic encourage children to admit their feelings and thus support their personal development and individuality. Non-fiction books for children take up a lot of space, conveying up-to-date knowledge in an easily understandable, aesthetic and entertaining way.
This year's exhibition focuses on the theme of "collecting". Collecting is one of the core tasks of a museum and the Klingspor Museum has a collection of 84,000 books, portfolios, posters, graphics and type specimens. Collecting always means selecting, searching, sorting and usually also storing. In a museum collection or a library, there are therefore collection concepts that describe what is being collected and why. It is also very important to organize and record the items collected so that they can be found again. It is precisely what museums and archives collect that determines how history can later be written. Everything that is not collected will sooner or later be lost and forgotten. Collecting therefore also means responsibility.
Not only museums and libraries collect, but also people of all ages. Children and adults collect all kinds of things, from collectible pictures and stones to stamps, works of art and matchboxes.
Collecting also plays a role in the work of contemporary artists. In addition to the current children's book, the exhibition is therefore also showing the 'swear word archive' by artist Ingke Günther, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2024 and now contains 2775 swear words. The artists Marina Kampka and Lena Schrieb collect urban forms with their 'City Stamps' project and Madlen Strebel is creating an archive of photos of people and their important objects. Marie Schwarze's miniature photo books are an archive for the many digital photos that we accumulate over time and numerous artist books from the museum's collection deal with different aspects of collecting.
The illustrator Dayeon Auh also collects colors, shapes and emotions and is represented in the exhibition with original drawings. So there is almost nothing that is not collected. Collecting sharpens our perception, our eye for detail. No matter how different collections are and how differentiated their order, there is agreement on one point: collecting makes you happy.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a varied program of talks and workshops.
Opening: Saturday, December 14, 2024, 11 a.m., with a concert by Stephanie Fehling's music school.
Opening hours
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 1 to 6 p.m,
Friday 2 to 9 pm,
Saturday, Sunday 11 am to 6 pm.
Closed on Mondays, December 24, 25, 31, January 1 and Shrove Tuesday.
Also open on mornings for registered groups!
16.2.25: Due to the New Year's reception of the Friends of the Klingspor Museum Association on 16.2.25 from 11 a.m., the exhibition can only be visited to a limited extent in the morning. A visit is only recommended from around 1 pm. Thank you for your understanding!
Admission prices
Free admission for children and young people under 18,
reduced (people with severe disabilities, trainees, federal voluntary service, students, unemployed) 2.50 euros,
pensioners 3 euros,
adults 4 euros,
Combined ticket with Haus der Stadtgeschichte 5 euros,
free admission on Fridays
Accompanying program
December 22, starting at 11 a.m.
Christmas is coming soon and today paper is being given away! Old posters, catalogs and postcards. While stocks last.
December 29, 3 - 5 p.m.
Family afternoon
Collecting wishes for the new year - folding cards in pop-up format
With artist Paula Schulenburg
With registration, admission + €2.50
January 03, 6 p.m.
Children's book up-to-date - curator's tour
Admission of your choice
January 07 - January 10, 10 am - 1 pm
Vacation program: Passion for collecting
Registration at klingspormuseumoffenbachde
January 11, 4 p.m.
Family tour with Antje Ehmann
Admission + 1.50
January 17, 7 - 9 p.m.
Collection of feathers
Calligraphy for adults and children
With lettering artist Tanja Leonhardt
Admission of your choice
January 20 - January 23, 10 - 11 and 11 - 12 a.m.
Daycare reading days on the latest children's book
With registration, free of charge
January 24, 6 p.m.
Current children's book - curator's tour
Admission of your choice
January 25, 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
"Leaf collection" course on Coptic binding for adults and young people
With artist Monika Jäger
With registration, 40,00 €
January 26, 3 - 5 p.m.
Family afternoon
What is collected - an educational theater workshop
Please bring a small object from your own collection!
With artist Paula Schulenburg
With registration, admission + € 2.50
February 02, 2 - 5 p.m.
Collection of feathers
Calligraphy for adults and children
With lettering artist Tanja Leonhardt
With registration, € 30.00
February 05, 3 - 5 p.m., from 2 p.m. optional guided tour
Klingspor meets daycare center. Ideas and impulses for the use of current picture books in daycare centers
With the literary scholar Antje Ehmann
With registration, € 40.00
February 07, 5 - 7 p.m.
One beetle - 20 beetles - a whole collection of beetles
Drawing workshop for everyone
With illustrator Tatjana Prenzel
Admission of your choice
February 09, 2 p.m.
Children's comic reading with Ferdinand Lutz: Rosa and Louis. Q-R-T.
As part of the YIPPIE comic festival in Frankfurt
Free for children
Adults only pay the normal museum entrance fee (4 euros)
February 09, 4 p.m.
Family tour with Antje Ehmann
Admission + 1.50
February 14, 6 - 8 p.m.
Text collection
Manuscripts from the drawer - an evening for aspiring authors
Texts and images in advance to: monika.jaegeroffenbachde
Admission of your choice
February 15, 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Book workshop "Picture collection"
With artist Petra Ober
For adults and young people
With registration, 40,00 €
February 22, 1 - 6 p.m.
Action day: Museum for all
February 26, 3 - 5 p.m., optional guided tour from 2 p.m.
Klingspor goes to school. Ideas and impulses for the use of current picture books in elementary school
With the literary scholar Antje Ehmann
With registration, € 40.00
February 28, 6 p.m.
City Stamp Project Lecture Performance
With the artists Marina Kampka & Lena Schrieb (studio pari-pari)
Admission of your choice
March 01, 2-4 p.m.
City Stamp Project work in progress: Offenbach Archive, open workshop for everyone
With the artists Marina Kampka & Lena Schrieb (studio pari-pari)
Takes place outside, free of charge
March 02, 4 p.m.
Children's book up-to-date - curator's tour
Admission + 1,50
March 07, 7 - 9 p.m.
Collection of ideas - shapes, structures and colors
Illustration workshop for adults
With illustrator Tatjana Prenzel
Bring your own sketchbook and preferred drawing tool
Admission of your choice
March 08, 4 p.m.
Family tour with Antje Ehmann
Admission + 1,50
March 16, 3 - 5 p.m.
Found pieces / piece prints. Family workshop indoors & outdoors
With artist Marina Kampka
With registration, admission + € 2.50
March 23, 3 p.m., 3.30 p.m., 4 p.m., 4.30 p.m.
Behind the scenes > 4 x short guided tour through the museum archive
Free admission
Offers for daycare centers and schools
Book lab for daycare centers and elementary schools
We discover new books and their materials and collect them in a book
Duration: 1 hour (1 euro/child)
Workshop for primary and secondary schools
Collecting feelings in color and form - designing your own book
Duration: 2 hours (2.50 euros/child)
Registration and questions
klingspormuseumoffenbachde
069 8065 2164 (during opening hours)
Information on accessibility
The Klingspor Museum is barrier-free.
A small elevator overcomes the six steps from the entrance to the foyer.
From the foyer, you can reach the 1st and 2nd floors by elevator. The elevator also goes down to the basement, where the toilets are located.
As our entrance door does not open automatically, wheelchair users are welcome to call our reception staff before visiting (Tel.: 069 / 8065-2164).
A tactile floor guidance system facilitates orientation for people with visual impairments.
Thank you
The exhibition is sponsored by the Vereinigung Freunde des Klingspor Museums and the Stadtwerke Offenbach. Thank you very much! We would also like to thank all the artists and publishers who have supported the exhibition with loans and free copies!