Odysseum
Interactive science adventure museum in Cologne-Kalk — opened in 2009, it ran for 16 years across 5,500 m² before closing in 2025.
Located in the Cologne district of Kalk, the Odysseum invited visitors to explore science hands-on through interactive exhibits. It opened on 3 April 2009 and, after sixteen years at the site, closed in 2025.
At a Glance
- Type
- Adventure museum and venue for temporary exhibitions
- Location
- Cologne-Kalk, close to Bürgerpark
- Exhibition space
- approx. 5,500 m²
- Operator
- SK-Stiftung CSC – Cologne Science Center of Sparkasse KölnBonn
- Architect
- Kaspar Kraemer
More than 130,000 tickets for the "Harry Potter: Visions of Magic" exhibition were sold before it even opened, making it one of the most successful exhibitions in Germany – with its world premiere taking place, of all venues, in a science museum in Cologne's Kalk district.
Things to do here
- Wander the science adventure museum following the trail of the Odyssey
- Try out science hands-on at the interactive stations
- Discover the changing special exhibitions
- Experience experiments in the CleverLabs
- Join the educational program with your school class or daycare group
Concept
Taking the myth of the Odyssey as its guiding image, the museum framed humanity's journey as an open-ended voyage in which science figures both as progress and as challenge. Most of the 150 interactive stations were created specifically for the Odysseum and given full scenographic treatment. Schools and nurseries could book educational programmes outside regular hours, and the CleverLabs offered hands-on experiments combining computer technology with live demonstrations.
Origins
Construction was approved on 30 April 2004, once a state grant from North Rhine-Westphalia secured the financing. Designed by Cologne architect Kaspar Kraemer, the building rose on the former site of the Chemische Fabrik Kalk chemical plant. The foundation stone was laid on 20 March 2007, and the museum opened two years later.
Reinvention
After a pandemic-enforced closure, the Odysseum reopened on 25 June 2021 with a revamped concept. Twelve headline attractions now catered to visitors of all ages.
Special Exhibitions
The museum hosted a string of high-profile shows, including "The Museum with the Mouse" (from October 2013, created in partnership with WDR), life-size dinosaurs in "Jurassic World: The Exhibition" (2023), and the world premiere of "Harry Potter: Visions of Magic" on 8 December 2023 — an immersive art experience spanning over 3,000 m² that sold more than 130,000 tickets before it even opened, making it one of the most successful exhibitions in Germany.
Closure and Future
In October 2024, Cologne City Council voted to convert the building into a comprehensive school, with classes set to begin by the 2028/29 school year. A planned successor venue in Cologne-Ehrenfeld, to be called "Exploradom" and featuring the twelve most popular attractions, was abandoned in April 2026 due to building regulations and rising costs.
Timeline
- 2004Decision to build; financing secured through NRW grant
- 20. März 2007Foundation stone laid by NRW Minister-President Jürgen Rüttgers
- 3. April 2009Opening of the Odysseum in Cologne-Kalk
- 3. Oktober 2013Opening of "The Museum with the Mouse" as permanent exhibition
- 25. Juni 2021Reopening after pandemic break with new concept
- 31. März 2023Opening of "Jurassic World: The Exhibition" (until 8 October 2023)
- 8. Dezember 2023World premiere of "Harry Potter: Visions of Magic"
- Oktober 2024City council decides to convert building into a comprehensive school from 2028/29
- 2025Final closure of the Odysseum after 16 years
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
Address
Corintostraße 1
51103 Köln
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Official Instagram (@odysseumkoeln)
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-06-23)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-06-23, rev 267604064)
- Official website (retrieved 2026-06-24)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-26
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