DOMiD – Documentation Centre and Museum on Migration in Germany
Civil-society archive of German migration history since 1945, founded in 1990 by migrants and home to over 150,000 objects, documents, and photographs.
DOMiD is a registered non-profit association based in Cologne that collects, preserves, researches, and exhibits materials on the history of migration in Germany. The collection grew from civil society, not from a state archive.
At a Glance
- Type
- Registered association with documentation centre and archive
- Location
- Cologne-Ehrenfeld, housed in the district town hall since 2010
- Founded
- 1990 by migrants in the Ruhr region
- Collection period
- 1945 to the present
- Scope (as of 2025)
- Over 150,000 books, documents, photographs, films, audio recordings, and three-dimensional objects
- Access
- Open to researchers by appointment; also serves as an extracurricular learning site
- Activities
- Collecting, preserving, researching, exhibiting, plus guided tours, events, and workshops
DOMiD was founded in 1990 by migrants in the Ruhr region under the name DOMiT – with a 'T' for Turkey – because it initially focused solely on labour migration from Turkey; only after merging with another organisation in 2007 and broadening its scope to all forms of migration did the 'T' become a 'D' for Deutschland (Germany).
Things to do here
- Discover the history of migration since 1945
- Join a guided tour of the collection and documentation centre
- Explore everyday objects and keepsakes of migration
- Take part in workshops and educational programmes
- Research in the archive by prior appointment
History of the Association
The association was founded in 1990 by migrants, initially under the name DOMiT with a focus on migration from Turkey. The first loans came from the founders' circles of friends and family. In 2007, DOMiT merged with the Migrationsmuseum in Deutschland e. V., an organisation with the same goal of establishing a migration museum. The merger led to the renaming as DOMiD — the final "D" standing for "in Deutschland" (in Germany).
The Collection
The collection documents migration to both West and East Germany, including the GDR, with a primary focus on immigration from abroad but also covering internal migration. Holdings include everyday objects, tools, clothing, toys, and personal mementos brought along on journeys. The range spans from rubber bands used by a man during his flight to Germany to a Ford Transit van emblematic of the so-called Gastarbeiter era. Written records include employment contracts from the 1960s and 70s, letters, identity documents, and leaflets, alongside a photographic archive of both private and professional images.
Mission and the Selma Museum
DOMiD regards migration as a normal part of society and aims to represent the migrant community in its entirety. With this in mind, the association is planning and building a migration museum called Selma, scheduled to open in Cologne in 2029.
Today
DOMiD publishes materials on migration and offers educational programmes and workshops as an extracurricular learning venue. The collection is open to researchers by appointment and regularly attracts students, artists, filmmakers, and historians. The association is supported in its academic work by an advisory board of specialists.
Timeline
- 1945Collection period begins: migration to Germany from end of WWII
- 1990Founded as DOMiT (migration from Turkey) in the Ruhr region
- 2007Merger with Migrationsmuseum in Deutschland e.V., renamed to DOMiD
- 2010Moved to the district town hall in Cologne-Ehrenfeld
- 2029Planned opening of Museum Selma in Cologne
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
Address
Venloer Str. 419
50825 Köln
Hours
Mo: 09:00–17:00
Di: 09:00–17:00
Mi: 09:00–17:00
Do: 09:00–17:00
Fr: 09:00–12:00
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-06-23)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-06-23, rev 267954210)
- Official website (retrieved 2026-06-24)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-26
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