As early as 1982, then Chancellor Helmut Kohl proposed the establishment of such a collection in his government statement, and in 1994 he opened the new building on the Museum Mile in Bonn, directly adjacent to the Art Museum and the Art and Exhibition Hall. The permanent exhibition of the museum presents more than 7,000 exhibits from German political, economic, cultural, and everyday history since 1945 in chronological order across more than 4,000 m².
This includes original exhibits such as the railway salon coach of the Chancellor, Adenauer's service Mercedes, members' benches from the old Bonn plenary hall, a cinema from the 1950s, or the arrest warrant of Erich Honecker. Historical film and sound documents, as well as interactive media stations, convey historical contexts to the more than 500,000 visitors each year. Since its opening, the exhibition has been regularly updated, most recently undergoing an extensive revision that has been on display since May 2011.
In addition to the permanent exhibition, special exhibitions on topics such as “Flight, Expulsion, Integration,” “Loriot: The Homage,” or "At 17... Being Young in Germany" showcase different aspects of contemporary history. Additionally, one can also trace the architecture of the years of change – with a visit to the Chancellor's Bungalow; in a way, also a house of history.
