The Bundesbank’s Money Museum stand at the Museum Embankment Festival in Frankfurt am Main attracted many visitors of all ages. Between 24 and 26 August, a total of around 16,500 guests came to learn about the Bundesbank’s various tasks with the aid of a wide range of information panels and numerous hands-on activities.

Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann himself visited the stand on the first day of the festival. He took the time to enjoy a short tour and came into conversation with visitors, even stopping to take a selfie or two with them. As a devoted

fan of Eintracht Frankfurt football club, Mr Weidmann was pleased to note that the club’s stand was situated right next door to the Bundesbank’s tent. “I see we’re facing some strong competition,” he said.

Snippets of euro banknotes brought to the riverbank

© Bert Bostelmann

There was much to see in the Bundesbank’s tent, including various exhibits and information panels on the topics of money and the museum’s current gold exhibition. The hands-on activities in particular, such as the shredded money guessing game and the gold quiz, prompted discussion. The Bundesbank transported over a million shredded euro banknotes to the festival and put them inside a pyramid for visitors to guess their value.

Many guests mustered up their strength to pick up the hammer and strike souvenir coins bearing designs of the Bundesbank’s buildings and the Money Museum. President Weidmann made his own coin with two hard strikes, which a visitor was delighted to take away as a souvenir.

There were also many activities on offer for children, such as completing puzzles of giant euro banknotes and designing their own money. Some of the young visitors showed the Bundesbank president their hand-crafted banknotes with evident pride.

Large art and culture festival

Frankfurt’s Museum Embankment Festival is traditionally held on the last weekend of August, and ranks among the largest art and culture festivals in Europe. This year, 23 museums across the city participated, including the Bundesbank’s Money Museum. As the Money Museum itself is not situated on the Main embankment, it sets up a tent on the riverbank for the duration of the festival.