Outdoor Art Gallery or Al fresco Museum, depending on preference

In the heart of Westphalia-Lippe, a debate is brewing over the proposed name change of the LWL Open-Air Museum in Detmold. The city portal, a key voice in the discussion, has expressed concerns about the potential impact of the new name on the identity, visibility, and tourist value of the open-air museum.

The proposed name, "Hellerlecht", translates to "Smallest Light" in High German, a moniker developed by the agency "Studio Tulu" based in Hamburg and Dortmund. However, this name change has been met with resistance from numerous voices within the population.

Mayor Frank Hilker, who maintains a good working relationship with the open-air museum on a local level, has been vocal in his opposition to the name change. He has been working tirelessly since March to prevent this decision, expressing surprise at its approval.

The Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association's Culture Committee passed a resolution on July 4, 2025, to name the LWL Open-Air Museum Detmold as "LWL Museum Hellerlecht, Westphalian State Museum for Culture and History, Detmold". This decision, however, has not addressed the city portal's concerns about the name's ability to convey the understandable and well-known location of the museum, which has been a fixture in the region for over 50 years.

In response, Mayor Hilker is urging the members of the Regional Committee to make a decision that minimizes harm to Detmold. He has been in discussions with various political actors at the LWL and the LWL administration about the issue, but the topic was not publicly discussed at that time.

The city council, at Mayor Hilker's request, unanimously passed a letter rejecting the project. The mayor, along with the city portal, is concerned about the potential damage to Detmold due to the museum's name change.

Thorsten Engelhardt is the contact person for inquiries regarding this matter, and his email and phone number are available for those who wish to voice their opinions. The city portal also encourages citizens to reach out to decision-makers in Münster to influence the final decision.

As the decision date of July 4, 2025, approaches, the city of Detmold and its residents eagerly await a resolution that preserves the identity, visibility, and tourist value of their beloved open-air museum.