In a few days, the Zwickau art collections, which are dedicated in particular to the work of expressionist Max Pechstein, will close for several years. Construction workers will soon be in charge of the listed building. This week, the exhibitions can be seen for the last time for the time being. On Sunday (June 30), the museum will bid farewell to its visitors with an art festival.
The city has budgeted 8.5 million euros for the construction work, with around 3.3 million euros going towards subsidies, as Sebastian Lasch, the mayor responsible for finance and culture, told the German Press Agency. The main aim is to bring the fire protection system up to scratch and to renovate the building in terms of energy efficiency. This includes work on the façade and windows, as well as upgrading escape routes, electrical engineering and fire alarm systems. "This has to be done urgently, otherwise there was a risk of closure," said Lasch. He speaks of a partial refurbishment. This will make the building, which opened in 1914, fit for another 30 to 40 years of museum operation.
