The work of Carl Zeiss, Ernst Abbe and Otto Schott in Jena has led to the town being known as the "cradle of the optical industry". This is the reason why Jena has several museums which are devoted to the history and development of this pioneering sector of industry. There are exhibitions on the subject in the Optical Museum, the Zeiss planetarium and the Schott Museum of Glass. The municipal museum contains exhibits on the town's history as well as collections of modern art, whilst the university's Phyletic Museum features the achievements of the German zoologist Ernst Haeckel.Optical Museum
Jena's Optical Museum is the only exhibition of its kind in Germany, boasting a huge range of exhibits that give an insight into the history of the many applications of optical equipment. Wheelchair access, multilingual guided tours on request. Closed on Sundays, Mondays, public holidays and 24 and 31 December.
» Further informationZeiss planetarium
The Zeiss planetarium is the oldest free-standing projector planetarium in the world which is still in operation. It takes visitors on a voyage of discovery through a diverse range of subject areas. There are also presentations on the fantastic world of galaxies, stars and planets, regular special events and projections of celestial activity in the current night sky.Jena Municipal Museum
The municipal museum is housed in a neo-Gothic building on the market square and combines exhibits on the history of the town with collections of modern art.