A brief history

Foundation

1852

The Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum in Mainz is founded - as a place of research and education. Its first director Ludwig Lindenschmit the Elder begins to build up a collection of copies of important archaeological finds. 

1853-1954

The RGZM finds its home in the Electoral Palace, where it is given several rooms. This allows exhibits to be presented on a small scale at first.

1858

The first scientific publication of the RGZM appears! It is the first volume of the series "Alterthümer unser Heidnischen Vorzeit" (Antiquities of our Pagan Prehistory) published by Victor von Zabern-Verlag in Mainz.

1862

One has already made a name for oneself: Emperor Napoléon III consults Ludwig Lindenschmit the Elder on the foundation of the French National Archaeological Museum.

1870-1972

The RGZM becomes a public foundation. After years without regular and sufficient funding, the newly founded German Reich now takes over its sponsorship.

1873

The copies of the RGZM make it to the World Exhibition in Vienna. They bear witness not only to the breadth of the collection, but also to the copying techniques used in the workshops. 
 

Development

1900-1901

The new century begins with a meeting of the Board of Directors in the Electoral Palace. Afterwards, the scientific director Karl Schumacher and the technical director Ludwig Lindenschmit the Younger take office. 

1903-1913

The city of Mainz renovates the Electoral Palace, creating many new exhibition rooms for the RGZM and the city's Museum of Antiquities. Paul Reinecke works at the RGZM on a chronological order of copies from all over Europe, which continues to have an effect today.

Ab 1910

In the new halls, the chronologically ordered permanent exhibition is redesigned and expanded. Now there are also themed halls, for example on house construction and settlement forms.

1922

The RGZM expands its tasks: The staff members Friedrich Behn and Gustav Behrens become responsible for regional archaeological heritage conservation. 

1927

Gustav Behrens takes office as First Director. 

1930

Special exhibitions are now also shown regularly. The Old Armoury ("Sautanz"), not far from the castle, is used for these and as a magazine.
 

NS Time and War

1934-1935

After the municipal museum of antiquities - now the Landesmuseum - moved out of the Electoral Palace, the rooms were converted for the RGZM and it was given new workshops nearby.

1939

During the Nazi era, the RGZM is renamed the Central Museum for German Pre- and Early History. It acts rather reservedly, but pursues topics on the history of the Germanic peoples more actively than before. 

11./12. August 1942

Incendiary bombing raids are flown over Mainz for two nights. The Electoral Palace burns down. The exhibition rooms and with them a large part of the copy collection are destroyed.

1945

The castle is further damaged. The workshops, depots and exhibition rooms in the neighbouring buildings are also destroyed. After the end of the Nazi regime, the old name is adopted again.

1946-1947

Soon after the end of the war, a provisional exhibition on Mainz in Roman times and Roman decorative arts is again presented in two halls.
 

Recovery

1952

The RGZM celebrates its centenary with many guests from near and far. The Friends of the Museum are also founded on this occasion.

1958

Kurt Böhner becomes Executive Director. The close ties between the RGZM and Johannes Gutenberg University are reflected in his appointment as honorary professor in 1959.

1958-1961

New permanent exhibitions gradually opened to attract visitors to the Electoral Palace: they immerse themselves in the Roman Age, the Stone Age and the Early Middle Ages.

1961

The modern new building next to the Electoral Palace is completed. Workshops and science, library and administration move in. 

1963 

The country needs restorers: Together with partners, a training course for restoration in the field of antiquities is being created at the RGZM.

1966 

A beautiful new exhibition space: a new permanent exhibition on prehistory opens in the rebuilt "Stone Hall" next to the new building.
 

Upturn

1966-1970

A series of large special exhibitions shows the results of many years of international cooperation - for example with the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences in Prague, the State Historical Museum in Stockholm or the Natural History Museum in Vienna. 

1975

The exhibition "Excavations in Germany - funded by the German Research Foundation 1950-1975" reinforces the RGZM's position as one of the central institutions in German archaeology. The series "Monographs of the RGZM" is founded with four associated volumes. 

1976

The Pope's throne is copied: Konrad Weidemann and Kurt Böhner are granted an audience with Pope Paul VI and permission to have a copy of the Cathedra Petri made. 

1976-1981

Museums as places of learning: With the project "School and Museum", the RGZM pioneers the opening up of museums for schools in the country.

1977

The RGZM is one of 46 institutions on the "Blue List" whose research projects are so important that they receive joint funding from the federal and state governments.

1980-1981

The exhibition "Gaul in Late Antiquity" is shown as a major German-French collaboration in Mainz and Paris.
 

Expansion

1985-1988

With the founding of the Palaeolithic Research Department and the associated museum in Neuwied, a research focus is consolidated. In 2014, the "MONREPOS Museum for Human Behavioural Evolution" is reopened, supported by the Prince Maximilian zu Wied Foundation.

seit 1990

Far-reaching connections: Collaboration with the Shaanxi Provincial Archaeological Institute in China (1990-2014) and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (1996-2002) gives rise to temporary new outposts in Asia and North Africa.

1991

The equipment of the newly discovered South Tyrolean glacier mummy Ötzi is entrusted to the RGZM for restoration and displayed in Mainz.

1994

The Roman ships found in Mainz in 1981/82 find their home in the Museum of Ancient Seafaring after their restoration at the RGZM. From now on, a separate research area is dedicated to nautical archaeology.

1996

In order to research the volcanic Eifel, the research area of volcanology, archaeology and history of technology is established in Mayen. The Vulkanpark GmbH, in which the RGZM has a share, subsequently provides many visitor attractions. 

2002

The RGZM becomes an institute of the Leibniz Association. This large German scientific organisation is dedicated to promoting science and research at its member institutions.
 

Enhancement

2006-2018

Sensational special exhibitions are organised at the Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn, among other places. The results of the cooperation with China and the research on Byzantium are on display.

2011

The Leibniz Science Campus "Byzantium between Orient and Occident, Mainz-Frankfurt", newly founded with the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and other partners, becomes a lively centre of Byzantine research.

2011

To research the effects of fire on various materials, a laboratory for experimental archaeology is set up in Mayen.

2014-2022

The tomb of Tutankhamun is one of the most famous archaeological discoveries. With the participation of the RGZM, the pharaoh's grave goods are being restored and researched at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo until now.

2015

In order to make archaeology in the region even stronger, the Verbund Archäologie Rhein-Main (VARM) is founded.

2017

Construction work begins on the new LEIZA building.
 

Reorganisation and renaming:
RGZM becomes LEIZA

2018

Alexandra W. Busch becomes Director General. This is the first joint appointment with the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. The RGZM is realigning itself from the ground up in terms of research and museum outreach.

2019

A joint research focus on Roman Archaeology and Maritime Antiquity (FoRuM) is established with the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage Rhineland-Palatinate and the University of Trier. 

2021

A new Leibniz Centre of Excellence "Education in Museums" links the research museums with the institutes for educational research of the Leibniz Association. Its office is affiliated with the RGZM.

seit 2022

The permanent exhibition in the Museum of Ancient Seafaring is modernised and opens up new approaches to the ancient ships for visitors.

1.1.2023

Once the three-month relocation phase from the Electoral Palace to the new building is complete, a new era in the history of the institute begins: the RGZM changes its name to the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie, or LEIZA for short.

24.3.2023

Ceremonial opening of the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie