A retrospect on the event MUTEC 2018

MUTEC and denkmal's popularity on the rise

With a record 14,200 visitors the International Trade Fair MUTEC and 13th edition of the leading European Trade fair denkmal came to a successful close on 10 November 2018. The 105 exhibitors from 10 countries meant that MUTEC had significant growth. Operators of cultural establishments use the international fair for museum and exhibition technology to learn about new technology and practical solutions from all areas.

The specialist programme was again significantly expanded this year and, in addition to numerous lectures and panel discussions, also included top-class meetings and conferences. This variety was very well received: over 80 per cent plan to come to MUTEC again and would recommend it to peers.

Exhibitors and overview of the exhibition halls

Final Report

MUTEC and denkmal's popularity on the rise

With a record 14,200 visitors the International Trade Fair MUTEC and 13th edition of the leading European Trade fair denkmal came to a successful close on 10 November 2018. "This is only the second time that MUTEC has been organised solely by Leipziger Messe, and has already established itself as an important event for operators of museums and cultural institutions," explains Markus Geisenberger, Managing Director of Leipziger Messe. "Together with denkmal, which was able to further expand its position as Europe's leading trade fair this year, MUTEC forms a trade fair network for cultural heritage and cultural assets that is unique in Europe." A record 550 exhibitors from 20 countries took part in both fairs combined.

The 105 exhibitors from 10 countries meant that MUTEC had significant growth. The specialist programme was again significantly expanded this year and, in addition to numerous lectures and panel discussions, also included top-class meetings and conferences. This variety was very well received: over 80 per cent plan to come to MUTEC again and would recommend it to peers.

"We are very happy with MUTEC 2018. We would like to expand the offerings further in the future. The excellent response shows that MUTEC is very well received both nationally and internationally. We were able to welcome visitors from China, Switzerland, Austria and Poland, said Mariella Riedel, Project Director of the MUTEC and denkmal.

Operators of cultural establishments use the international fair for museum and exhibition technology to learn about new technology and practical solutions from all areas. "We were amazed by this year's MUTEC. The public was really superb. This was our company's first time at a trade fair in Germany. We were able to make excellent contact with the trade fair audience here and had numerous interesting discussions. We received many enquiries and can conclude that the trade fair was very successful. It was an amazing experience", said Poul Tønder, sales manager at Gobo & Highlight from Denmark. Frank Waltenberg from KLUG Conservation was also very pleased: "We only have positive things to say about the trade fair. Our goal was to maintain existing contacts, provide new information to customers and get in touch with new customers. We registered a great deal of interest – especially from abroad. In short: "We are here because you simply have to be present here."

There was also enormous interest in the special exhibition, "Culture Protection through Digitalisation", that showed the possibilities of modern 3D printing technology.

Specialist programme with expert conferences and meetings

The association of museums in Saxony used the MUTEC for the second time as their annual training workshop. In addition, one highlight was the fifth International SiLK Conference, which was organised by the Guidelines for the Protection of Cultural Property (SiLK), the Conference of National Cultural Institutions (KNK) and the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) and held on the first two days of the fair. The emergency planning and security conference focused on prevention, recovery of cultural heritage and cooperation with competent authorities. "The idea of holding an event on the security of cultural assets at the same time as MUTEC and denkmal at the Leipzig Trade Fair fascinated us right from the start. We never thought it would be such a success. More than half of the participants had never been to our events before and there was a lot of positive feedback", reported Dr Bernhard Preuss, Commissioner for the Protection of Cultural Property according to The Hague Convention at the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster relief.

Further highlights were the annual convention of the Federal Association of Freelance Cultural Scientists (BfK) and the conference of the Berlin University of Applied Sciences, titled "Taking a Position - How Neutral are Museums?"

The MUTEC Forum was almost completely booked out for the duration of the fair. The most popular topics were change in perspective, light, barrier free and digitalisation.

Leading European Trade Fair denkmal becoming more important

Concurrently to MUTEC, the 13th edition of denkmal took place. There were 448 exhibitors from 19 countries, denkmal also registered growth and underscored its importance as the leading European Fair. This year, it provided strong economic and political impulses as the technical linchpin for the preservation of Europe's cultural heritage. All participants praised the quality and internationality, which had again increased.

The participating companies and institutions showcased their products and services from all areas of heritage conservation and restoration. The specialist programme, which included over 200 events, once again more than lived up to its reputation as the industry's most important platform for further education and training.

Facts and figures 2018

Exhibitor numbers 2018
Visitor numbers 2018