War. Crisis. Scarcity. In Böblingen.:
An exhibition through five moments in history

The Deutsches Bauernkriegsmuseum [German Peasants’ War Museum] documents the living conditions of the »common humans«, their goals, hopes and everyday life as peasants during the beginning of the 16th century, such as in the special exhibition »Krieg. Krise. Knappheit. In Böblingen« [War. Crisis. Scarcity. In Böblingen] that we designed within new identity of the museum.

A small signage in the entrance hall shows visitors the way to both exhibition spaces up and downstairs
A small signage in the entrance hall shows visitors the way to both exhibition spaces up and downstairs
The lower exhibition space connects historical and current affairs and asks the questions: »How can one rethink the term crisis?«
The lower exhibition space connects historical and current affairs and asks the questions: »How can one rethink the term crisis?«
Another view of »the scapegoats in history«
Another view of »the scapegoats in history«
An excerpt that shows, how crisis generates hate towards minorites and how people counter that hate
An excerpt that shows, how crisis generates hate towards minorites and how people counter that hate
Measures that help prevent crisis or help to end them is a theme discussed in the second exhibition space downstairs
Measures that help prevent crisis or help to end them is a theme discussed in the second exhibition space downstairs
Different sizes of typography are used throughout the exhibition to provide different levels of storytelling
Different sizes of typography are used throughout the exhibition to provide different levels of storytelling

With a focus on urban history, the 2023 annual exhibition of the Deutsches Bauernkriegsmuseum Böblingen addresses winners and losers of crises, re-evaluations and losses of value.

Illustrations, artworks, historical relics, photographs, reprints, infographics and texts navigate the visitor through the exhibition
Illustrations, artworks, historical relics, photographs, reprints, infographics and texts navigate the visitor through the exhibition
Together with reprints and artworks, an infographic shows the redistribution of Böblingen’s population into the world
Together with reprints and artworks, an infographic shows the redistribution of Böblingen’s population into the world
Historical relics are an important part for this exhibition design display
Historical relics are an important part for this exhibition design display
Close-up of the second exhibition space showing the oil crisis in the 70s
Close-up of the second exhibition space showing the oil crisis in the 70s
Close-up of the exhibition’s captions
Close-up of the exhibition’s captions
Typographical variety offers plenty of access to the exhibition’s content
Typographical variety offers plenty of access to the exhibition’s content

How did people deal with crises in their own unique way? How did people attempt to cope with them, escape them or even profit from them? Do we recognise similarities to today? In this exhibition design we exhamine these questions by focusing on five periods of crisis in the history of Böblingen with different protagonists. From crop failures and grain prices at the beginning of the 16th century, to the turmoil of the Thirty Years’ War to natural disasters and mass poverty in the 19th century all made emigration a promising way out and pulled not only the exhibitions’ protaghonists into a new life.

A brochure for students, filled with illustrations, quizzes and stories
A brochure for students, filled with illustrations, quizzes and stories

For the museums’s youngest visitors (and those young at heart) we designed a special brochure to engage them with the exhibition and the content: through stories, illustrations, quizzes and riddles.

5×4m displays are visible at several highly frequented entrances to the city and draw attention to the exhibition
5×4m displays are visible at several highly frequented entrances to the city and draw attention to the exhibition

Client:

 Deutsches Bauernkriegsmuseum [German Peasants’ War Museum]

Partners:

 Lea Wegner, Johannes Hucht, Steffen Knöll, Sven Tillack

Photos:

 Studio Tillack Knöll

Studio Tillack Knöll is a multicreative design practice that concerns itself with the visual and spatial aspects of communication. We design exhibitions, wayfinding systems, books, visual identities and digital experiences for a variety of clients involved in architecture, art, science and commerce to cultural institutions and NGOs.