Like this! Or differently? 1200 years of Radolfzell – Exhibition Villa Bosch

In the 1200 years of its history, Radolfzell has reinvented itself time and again – through
decisions that have shaped its community, opened up new paths and closed others.

To mark the anniversary, the exhibition looks back at history and ahead to the future.
What historical decisions have shaped Radolfzell and could things have turned out differently
? What challenges does the city of today face and what paths will it
take?

Under the title “Like this! Or different? 1200 years of Radolfzell”, the exhibition focuses on such
decisions in order to highlight possible pasts and possible futures. The result is
a unique exhibition experience that conveys knowledge, encourages reflection and promotes
social dialog.

The “Milchwerk” or the “Tanke”, the “Rathaus” or the “See” – in the rooms of the Villa Bosch
, visitors enter familiar places and rediscover them in surprising ways. What
would happen if Radolfzell had become a university town? What if the town had once again
become the site of a barracks? And what if the sinking lake level created a land connection
to Reichenau?

To the next 1200 years

The conclusion and highlight of the exhibition is a time capsule. For centuries,
people have been preserving messages for posterity, hidden in foundation stones, church spires or in
attics. They contain things of such great importance that they are intended to stand the test of time and
may only be opened in the distant future.

The exhibition takes up this tradition and poses the question: What should Radolfzell leave behind for the future
? Which memories, experiences and hopes are worth preserving for future
generations?

At the interactive stations of the exhibition, visitors can contribute their own thoughts and wishes in a playful way
and actively participate in developing a vision for Radolfzell at
– at the end, they decide for themselves what should be included in the time capsule and preserved until the next anniversary at
.

City and universities

The exhibition is the result of a collaboration between the Radolfzell Cultural Office, the University of
Konstanz and the HTWG Konstanz. In the winter semester 2025/26, students of
History, Architecture and Communication Design conceived the exhibition and implemented it in the
summer semester.

The exhibition is the seventh project of the interdisciplinary cooperation “Mediale
Ausstellungsgestaltung”, which has repeatedly set innovative accents and has received many awards
.

The exhibition opens on July 31, 2026 in the Villa Bosch and can be seen until November 15.
The exhibition will conclude with the handover of the sealed time capsule containing the hopes and
visions of the people of Radolfzell – it will be opened at the next 1200th anniversary in 3226!

Who was Radolt?

The exhibition “Who was Radolt?” deals with the questions of why and since when the school has borne its name. Together with the pupils, the historical background of Bishop Radolt, his work in Radolfzell and the naming of Ratoldus School are explored. The aim is to create a small exhibition about the life and work of Ratoldus and his significance for Radolfzell today. To this end, the pupils will get to know historical work and learn more about the town’s history. The knowledge gained will be presented in a portable permanent exhibition in the school building and shared with the wider school community with the help of information texts on the school website. The exhibition can be seen for the first time on Thursday, 18.06.2026, from 16.00 to 18.00 in the Ratoldus School building. The exhibition is inclusive and barrier-free.

Anno 1926 “Radolfzell celebrates 1100 years”

In an exhibition, the Förderverein Museum und Stadtgeschichte Radolfzell e. V. presents 40 impressive impressions of the anniversary celebrations that took place in Radolfzell exactly 100 years ago. The historical glass plate photographs from the Moriell family’s picture archive provide a fascinating insight into the festivities and atmosphere of the town at that time. Thanks to targeted funding, the original glass plates have been restored and reproduced. The prints, which were then printed in large format, will be made available to the public in a free exhibition in the town library.

Opening hours:
Tue, Fri 12 – 6.30 pm
Wed 10 am – 5 pm
Thu 2 – 6.30 pm
Sat 10 am – 1.30 pm