October 1, 2026 – November 8, 2026
Heart of Okinawa
Exhibition on the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 and the present-day peace work of the Japanese prefecture, a partner of Osnabrück in the network of peace cities.
Erich Maria Remarque-Friedenszentrum
Museum and research center on Osnabrück's market square devoted to the life and work of Erich Maria Remarque – with a permanent exhibition, archive and free admission.
Opening hoursFree admission Wheelchair accessible
Current exhibitions
About the museum
The center's roots lie in the Erich Maria Remarque documentation center founded at the University of Osnabrück in 1985. Under Tilman Westphalen, an extensive collection was built up there within a few years; in 1988 large parts of the estate held at New York University were catalogued and microfilmed, and the Remarque Archive opened in 1989. In the same context, the Forschungsstelle Krieg und Literatur (War and Literature Research Unit) was established with its own journal, later a yearbook.
Based on a municipal cultural development plan and with funding from the Stiftung Niedersachsen, a Remarque center was set up on the market square. It held its first exhibition in September 1996, and in November the archive and staff moved into the building; the center was officially opened in June 1998 to mark the writer's 100th birthday. It is run by the City of Osnabrück.
The bilingual permanent exhibition "Unabhängigkeit – Toleranz – Humor" (Independence – Tolerance – Humor) follows Remarque's path from his childhood in Osnabrück through the worldwide success of "All Quiet on the Western Front", the book burnings and exile to his later years in Locarno. More than 400 objects are on display, including manuscripts, letters, first editions, his death mask and his desk. Over more than 30 years, more than 120 special exhibitions on war, peace, exile and persecution have been added. With EU and state funding, the building is to be renovated and its content renewed by the end of 2028.
Highlights
- Permanent exhibition "Unabhängigkeit – Toleranz – Humor" with more than 400 exhibits
- Remarque's death mask, desk and manuscripts
- Listening stations with audiobooks in more than 20 languages
- Remarque Archive with copies of the New York estate
- Several special exhibitions a year on war, peace and exile
- Free admission and free guided tours
Permanent exhibitions
- Unabhängigkeit – Toleranz – Humor – A bilingual tour in seven stations through Remarque's life, work and worldwide impact, with original documents, audio and media stations.
- Founded
- 1996
- Operated by
- Stadt Osnabrück
- Director
- Dr. Sven Jürgensen (bis Ende November 2026 vertreten durch Claudia Junk)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Children & teens | –Free admission for everyone |
|---|
Free admission, except for certain events. Guided tours free of charge.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Exhibition rooms accessible for wheelchairs and strollers; folding stools available for the tour. The archive in the basement is not yet accessible.
Kids & families
Only partly suitable for kids
- Stroller-friendly
Educational programs are aimed at school classes from grade 8; workshops and teaching materials for schools. Accessible with a stroller.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bus M1 and M5 (Theater); M1, M5, 10/20, M2 and 18 (Nikolaizentrum); 10/20, M2 and 18 (Heger-Tor); M2 and 18 (Rissmüllerplatz).
By car
Parking available
No parking of its own; the center refers visitors to Altstadt-Garage, Nikolai-Garage, Parkplatz Stadthaus, and Vitihof-Garage.
Amenities & dining
- Coat check
Unsupervised coat racks; jackets and bags may be taken into the exhibition.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Allowed in the exhibition rooms; professional photography and filming on request. |
| Good to know | Free guided tours of the permanent and special exhibitions, as well as the city walk "Auf den Spuren Erich Maria Remarques" (In the Footsteps of Erich Maria Remarque), for groups of 3 to 25 people by arrangement (duration as desired, from 30 minutes to 2 hours; usually 60–90 minutes for school classes), also outside opening hours; also available in English, French, Russian, and Ukrainian. Workshops for schools from grade 8 are generally free of charge. |
