Haus am Waldsee positions itself in a continuous process of self-interrogation about what it means to be an open institution for a wide variety of social groups. One important step towards a greater accessibility for new audiences is a revision of the admission fees at the house.

Coinciding with the start of the exhibition by Margaret Raspé, the Haus is launching a campaign to encourage people who feel unable to pay the full admission – i.e. are currently short on cash – to choose an amount between 0 and 8 Euros instead of the regular admission of 8/5 Euros, without red tape and without verification of need. “Pay what you can.”

At the same time, we encourage people who are financially well-off to pay a surcharge on admission in the form of a donation, to allow someone who is less financially stable to pay what they can. In doing so, we hope to make a contribution to relieve the increasingly tense economic situation and to signal to everyone that they are welcome at the Haus at any time, even if they may not be able to afford the full admission at the moment.

Doing so, we offer our audience an unbureaucratic way to contribute to the accessibility of the culture in a spirit of solidarity. As an institution that critically relies on admission fees for its programming, the campaign is an experiment that appeals to the social consciousness of our audience. Regular admission fees will remain as the benchmarks with which we calculate our programme.

This initiative is a first step in the ‘Welcome to the Haus’ campaign, which is intended to steadily open up Haus am Waldsee and which will be followed by further adjustments in terms of accessibility as well as new formats within the future programming.

You have questions about the project? Here we answer frequently asked questions. 

• Can I also “pay” 0 euros?

Yes, there is no minimum fee.

• Does it always have to be a round amount?

Yes, only round amounts (1 Euro, 2 Euros, etc.) can be paid.

• Can I pay after the exhibition visit?

No, you can only pay before visiting the exhibition.

• Do I have to show proof, e.g. of low income?

No, the “Pay what you can” initiative requires no proof to be presented at the front desk.

• Does free admission continue to apply to holders of the berlinpass, refugees, and ALG-II recipients?

Yes, free admission for the aforementioned groups applies as before.

• Are persons who are eligible to pay the reduced price also allowed to determine their own admission price?

Yes, people who are eligible for discounts can also participate as part of the initiative.

• Does the initiative also apply to groups?

No, registered groups do not benefit from the initiative.

• Does the initiative apply on all opening days of the Haus?

Yes, the initiative applies on all opening days, except for the first Sunday of the month, as this is admission-free as part of Museum Sunday.

• Is it possible to determine the price to be paid for special events such as guided tours?

No, the initiative only applies to regular admission to the exhibition.

• Can I donate as much as I wish?

Yes, there is no limit to the donation as long as it is a round amount.

• How will my donation be utilized?

The donated funds will finance the “Pay what you can” campaign. The surplus income generated by the donations makes it possible for people with low incomes to visit our house by allowing them to choose the admission fee for themselves.

• What was the decisive reason for the campaign?

We want to allow access to our exhibitions for everyone, regardless of whether they can afford to or not. We wanted to create an offer with a low threshold and thus provide an unbureaucratic solution to the strained economic situation of many people.

• Will the project be continued in the future?

Currently this is a test phase during the exhibition “Margaret Raspé – Automatik” (3.2.–29.5.2023). A continuation of the initiative is planned.

• Can I continue to donate independently of the above-mentioned initiative?

Yes, with pleasure! Our donation box in the entrance area is available for this purpose. These donations are used to support other special projects of the Haus.

For further questions and suggestions please contact info@hausamwaldsee.de

Haus am Waldsee
Argentinische Allee 30
14163 Berlin

tel. 030 / 801 89 35
info@hausamwaldsee.de