Concept
How can Goethe‘s House be experienced in a new way by school groups without physically changing anything about it?
This is exactly where this design comes in: while a third of all visitors are school classes, the current audio guide hardly appeals to them. Instead of just conveying facts through a monotonous, anonymous voice, a format was developed that is more emotional, accessible and personalised: Goethe‘s literary characters themselves (Mephisto, Iphigenie, Werther and Otillie) guide visitors through the house in their own language, attitude and perspective.
The students use their own smartphones, a medium they are familiar with, and choose one literary character to accompany them through each part of the house. This creates an individual yet complete visitor experience that invites later discussion. The way the content is told is deliberately subjective, but still historically based. The whole experience is complemented by interactive modules such as immersion rooms, quiz formats or AR enhancements, which also take place virtually on smartphones.
This means that not everyone experiences the same thing, but different perspectives on the same place. This is intended to stimulate discussions and dialogue afterwards and also provide an impetus not only to understand Goethe‘s works, but also to experience them.
Starting Point
The project began with a close look at the current visitor experience in Goethe’s House. The house itself is left in its historical form and provides no explanatory texts or interactive stations. This means the audio guide becomes the central medium for orientation and knowledge transfer.
However, this audio guide is still based on an outdated device with number keys and a laminated reference sheet. More critically, the content itself is presented in a purely factual and monotonous manner, with little variation or engagement. For school groups, who make up roughly a third of all visitors, this format provides little connection to their prior knowledge or learning interests.
Research & Requirements
Early research focused on the target group: students, usually around the age of sixteen. At this age, authenticity and relevance play a crucial role, content that feels overly simplified or “childish” is quickly rejected.
Based on these insights, several requirements were defined:
- stronger emotional connection to the audience
- use of familiar media
- no physical alteration of the house
- a structure that enables active rather than passive engagement
Concept Development
At first, the idea was to let historical figures connected to Goethe’s life guide visitors through the house. However, this approach quickly revealed a fundamental problem: the issue of appropriation. Allowing historical people to “speak” raises the question of authenticity, no one can be certain whether Goethe‘s family members or friends would have actually expressed themselves in the suggested way, or even held the thoughts attributed to them. In a museum context, where historical accuracy is essential, this lack of certainty poses a significant challenge.
The decisive shift came with the realization that Goethe’s literary characters offered a compelling alternative. Unlike historical figures, they do not carry the same burden of authenticity, because they are fictional and open to interpretation. At the same time, they provide a bridge to the students: characters such as Mephisto, Iphigenie, Werther and Ottilie are already familiar from school lessons, at least to some extent. This familiarity reduces barriers, creates instant recognition, and makes the audio experience more personal and engaging.
Structure & Routes
Once the guiding principle of the literary characters was established, the focus shifted to the question of spatial structure.
The existing tour through the Goethehaus is strictly linear: visitors move from the courtyard, through the rooms, and finally into the garden in one continuous sequence of around thirty minutes.
For students, this structure often proved overwhelming and monotonous. A closer analysis of the floor plan revealed a natural division: the Yellow Hall in the center functions as a hinge between the lower and upper part of the house.
Building on this observation, the house was restructured into two independent routes: one covering the lower and one covering the upper part. These routes can be experienced in any order and from different starting points. This not only shortens the individual segments but also introduces more freedom and variety. In addition, it enables students to explore different parts of the house with different characters, creating intentional shifts in perspective.
Digital Interface
The smartphone interface was designed as the central hub for the entire experience. The process of shaping it was guided by the question: how can the complexity of choice and navigation be made clear and intuitive for students?
The flow of the interface was developed step by step:
1: Onboarding via QR code: students gain access quickly and without downloading an app
2: Introduction: a short framing prepares them for the visit
3: Character selection: students choose their guide from Goethe’s literary figures
4: Route selection: they decide whether to explore the lower or upper half of the house first
5: Optional extras: before starting, they can listen to a short background story about the chosen character or view a simplified route overview
Once the route begins, the interface shifts into a mode that combines audio playback with a digital house map for orientation. A moving dot shows the current position, and preview images indicate upcoming rooms. This design ensures that students not only receive content but also always know where they are and where they are going.
Interactive Modules
A key realization during the process was that the smartphone should not be reduced to a mere audio guide replacement. Its digital capabilities allow for additional interactive formats that can extend and diversify the experience.
Three complementary module types were developed:
1: Immersion Rooms: offer short, visually dynamic formats (e.g. vertical videos similar to Instagram or TikTok) to dive deeper into specific topics, such as Goethe’s color theory.
2: Quiz Rooms: provide playful interaction, testing knowledge of the house, the chosen character, or Goethe himself. The questions vary in tone depending on the figure, reinforcing their personalities.
3: Augmented Reality Rooms: bring important objects from Goethe’s life back into the house in digital form, allowing them to be rotated, zoomed, and explored closely.
These modules highlight the strength of a smartphone-based solution: not everyone must experience the same thing, but those who want more can actively engage. At the same time, the formats connect to the media habits of students, making Goethe’s world more approachable and relatable.
Process Images
