Brigitte Franzen

Prof. Dr. Brigitte Franzen has served as President of the Offenbach University of Art and Design (HfG) since October 1, 2024. An art historian, curator, and academic leader, she has held prominent roles including Director of the Ludwig Forum for International Art in Aachen (2009-2015), Managing Director of the Peter and Irene Ludwig Foundation (2015 onwards), and Head of the Senckenberg Natural History Museum Frankfurt (2020-2024). Her work spans curatorial innovation, structural museum development, and research-based exhibitions.

• Doctorate in Art History (2000, University of Marburg an der Lahn)
• Studied Art History, European Ethnology, German Studies, and Sociology at Karlsruhe, Vienna, and Marburg universities

Research Focus: Franzen's academic career emphasizes landscape theory, anthropological dimensions of art, public space, and interdisciplinary approaches to nature-culture relationships. Her curatorial methodology combines rigorous academic inquiry with innovative exhibition formats.

Exhibition Trends: Her projects reveal a pattern of historical-geopolitical comparisons (e.g., Cold War art), long-term cultural evolution studies (e.g., forests from Romanticism to future), and expanding museological accessibility through participatory workshops.

Structural Leadership: At Senckenberg Museum (2020-2024), she implemented recreational 'Freiräume' spaces, renovated major collections (including the Anaconda exhibit), and increased visitor numbers by 13% despite pandemic challenges.