Following long years of delay because of the COVID-19 pandemic and financial problems, the long-awaited electronic music museum has opened in Frankfurt, Germany at last.
The Museum Of Modern Electronic Music (MOMEM) opened its doors in April with – what else – an electronic music concert launching an exhibition on DJ Sven Väth, the vinyl-only legend of German 90s nightlife.
Väth himself was among those taking to the turntables as part of an April 6 event kicking off a series of film nights, workshops, club nights and album launches at the museum.
The museum part aims to tell the story of what club culture has contributed to society with a visual and aural journey through electronic music over the decades using sound installations, photography and other visual works.
The MOMEM is not intended to be a typical museum, as museum director Alex Azary said, announcing the launch, and visitors will also be able to experience the "real thing" at the Momem, also envisioned as a kind of cultural center.
In addition to the Sven Väth show, the museum also plans to look at EDM's origins in black music and Afrobeat, and how African American drummer Earl Young pioneered the "four on the floor" kick drum beat that still forms the foundation of many electronic tracks today.
Frankfurt, better known as a financial hub, was also home to famous clubs like the Dorian Gray (housed in an airport terminal) or the Omen (a widely known house music club in a car park) and is considered one of the birthplaces of electronic music in Germany.
In addition to a permanent exhibition, the museum will also feature temporary shows on selected themes, genres, clubs and labels.
MOMEM was already beset by delays before the pandemic hit. Originally set to open in 2017, the plans were first delayed due to disputes over financing, before further planned opening dates were later pushed back by the pandemic.
