August 12, 2022 to January 29, 2023
At the Museum of Communication, people are now allowed to swear. The exhibition "Potz! Lightning! From Pharaoh's Curse to Hate Speech" explores the linguistic phenomenon of swearing and expletives in an entertaining way. In doing so, a very broad arc is spanned in a rather narrow space - both chronologically and thematically. Here it goes from juicy curses in cuneiform to international insults with animal names to Internet trolls and Hate Speech.
The exhibition is also about the pleasure of breaking taboos, about male and female abuse, about the phenomenon of curse defense by wearing amulets, about freakouts in soccer and traffic or about futile bans on expletives. Historical objects such as a stable door from Nürtingen (o.D.), which is provided with animal parts for the protection of the cattle, numerous media stations as well as participatory offers - among other things on the museum toilets - show that cursing and swearing are constant and living elements of every human communication.
A thinking-along exhibition
What actually happens in the brain when we swear? The exhibit also features a model of the brain with the major areas involved in the "swearing process." One section of the exhibition is devoted to swearing from other countries, while another turns the burning glass on Frankfurt's distinctive swearing culture, with a request to add local swear words. With the so-called "swear generator," visitors can compile their favorite expletive: Terms of the heroes of German poetry, Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Hans Sachs, are combined with contemporary expletives.
Also not missing is the "local swear culture: a small selection from Frankfurt and the surrounding area. If the visitors know more local expletives, they can add to the selection.
Opening Hours
Tuesday-Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Wednesday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
current corona hours at www.mfk-frankfurt.de
Admission
from 6 years 1.50 euros, from 18 years 6 euros/reduced 4 euros
Fridays free admission for school classes & groups of 10 or more
