Together with media scenographers Schnelle Bunter Bilder, RAA’s Berlin studio has been selected to design a new permanent exhibition on the third and fourth floors of the institution's celebrated Behrensbau building. The appointment follows a major competition in 2025.
Haus der Geschichte NRW / Katja Velmans
Tim Ventimiglia, founding director of RAA’s Berlin studio, says: "Winning the Haus der Geschichte Nordrhein-Westfalen project is a major achievement for RAA, as it enables us to work on one of Germany’s most iconic buildings: the Behrensbau.
"Built as an iron skeleton construction, it was the most advanced office building in Europe when it was constructed.
"It has played a central role in the history of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, witnessing the Weimar Republic, both world wars and the formation of the modern state. It also served as the seat of the first democratic government.
"In future, it will present this history, allowing visitors to experience themselves as active participants in the state’s ongoing development.
"RAA will contribute to this major museum project by drawing on our experience of developing state-of-the-art experiences that encourage social interaction and the exchange of ideas to foster appreciation and participation in democracy."
Ralph Appelbaum Associates
Stories of regional and national change
The House of History explores how the NRW region has been shaped by industry and immigration, and highlights how individual initiatives and contributions have defined its cultural identity.
The upcoming permanent exhibition seeks to present the state's past and present, offering guests of all ages and from all locations a vibrant and varied visitor experience.
Intended to be engaging, participatory, inclusive, and multi-perspective, the exhibition will showcase the state's famous milestones alongside surprising and complex untold stories.
Ralph Appelbaum Associates
Basil Kerski, who oversaw the realisation of the highly successful European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk, Poland, has recently been appointed president of the foundation. Under his leadership, the House of History will be developed to tell the story of the post-war region and the establishment of democracy.
Kerski says: "The history of North Rhine-Westphalia fascinates me because it is more than just a topic for people who live in the state. Regional and national change are closely linked in North Rhine-Westphalia.
"The global networking of the economy, science, and culture in NRW, as well asconstant migration processes, have made and continue to make NRW an important arena forinternational interdependence"
Changing perspectives
This new commission reflects RAA's passion for projects that can change perspectives, challenge knowledge, and bring communities together.
Ralph Appelbaum Associates
The company has an extensive history of creating museums and experiences in public spaces that explore the values of democracy, diversity, and change.
These include TING: Technology and Democracy at the Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology, which invited guests to explore the intricate relationships between technology and democracy.
At present, the studio is working on the Pyramid of Tirana in Albania. The site has a rich history, having served as communist-era museums, a NATO base, and a nightclub. It is now being transformed into a community hub and exhibition space.
See also: Museums for all: RAA and the power of community-driven design
In September 2025, the Lost Shtetl Museum opened in Seduva, Lithuania. This landmark institution is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Jewish shtetls.
With exhibition design led by RAA, the museum invites visitors to rediscover Lithuania’s rich heritage through immersive storytelling, multimedia installations, and authentic historical narratives that evoke themes of absence and memory.
Haus der Geschichte NRW / Katja Velmans
Ralph Appelbaum Associates 
Ralph Appelbaum Associates
Ralph Appelbaum Associates
