Deutsches Optisches Museum - edutainment for optics & photonics

Currently under construction in Jena, Germany, the Deutsches Optisches Museum (D.O.M.) represents a novel concept in science communication, merging the principles of modern science centers with the heritage of classical museums. Designed as an interactive edutainment hub, the D.O.M. integrates artistic, aesthetic, and scientific approaches to engage the public in optics, photonics, and medical physics. Visitors will be driven to learn through curiosity, visual fascination, and hands-on experimentation, all of which will be complemented by in-depth scientific explanations. Spanning more than 3100 m² across four floors, the museum's exhibition will be dedicated to microscopy, ophthalmic optics and spectacle lenses, and astronomy. Key highlights include the world's largest historical glass archive; interactive relay-optics stations that allow visitors to "look through" historical instruments; and large-scale educational models such as a walk-in human eye. The concept unites education, research outreach, and design through collaboration with leading architects, artists, scientists, and industrial partners. Located in the historical and contemporary heart of optical innovation, D.O.M. aims to set a global benchmark for communicating science in the fields of optics and photonics. The museum fosters public understanding and appreciation of the physical principles of optics and photonics that shape both medical and industrial technologies.