Essen/Germany, 13 June 2024

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From June 25, 2024, the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen will be showing award-winning design highlights from 60 nations and all areas of life in three new exhibitions. With more than 1,400 products in total, the exhibitions “Milestones in Contemporary Design 2024–2025” and “Design on Stage 2024–2025” will give an overview of the state of the art in product design. Those two exhibitions will be on show until the end of May 2025. The third special exhibition, created by this year’s Red Dot: Design Team of the Year, Thule Design Team from Sweden, to present the team and its work, will run until 1 September 2024.

Highlight on June 25: outstanding vehicles in Hall 5
Only on the day of the official opening of the exhibition, Tuesday, June 25, visitors will have the chance to see many excellent vehicles in Hall 5 between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., including the Ducati Diavel V4 motorcycle, the Volvo EX30 and the MG Cyberster, as well as the eVentje camper van and leisure vehicles such as the Sea-Doo Spark and the Can-Am Maverick R from BRP.

Exhibition 1: “Milestones in Contemporary Design 2024–2025” – the best products of the year
The exhibition on the first floor of the museum presents the 71 best products of 2024 – the current milestones in international product design, which were selected by an international jury from the competition’s 51 categories. They fulfil the four qualities of good design: quality of function, of use, of seduction and of responsibility. These products set new standards in their respective industries and clearly stand out from the competition thanks to their design and power of innovation in respect of function and aesthetic.

A good example of the quality of function is the Fiskars Oscillating Sprinklers lawn sprinkler system: the range of the sprinkler can be individually adjusted for even, efficient and precise irrigation and therefore optimised water consumption. The width and direction can also be set easily, as all control element have been highlighted in colour. For its part, the Bugaboo Dragonfly is an example of high quality of use. Thanks to an innovative folding mechanism, this pushchair can be folded compactly, including the bassinet or seat attached, in one single movement. The vases of the Midsummer series from Swedish manufacturer Orrefors, designed by the Claesson Positivist Rune design studio, are an example of a product in which the quality of seduction is distinct. Whether placed individually or arranged as an ensemble, they are eye-catching with their different shapes and delicate colouring. The quality of the glass and the precision craftsmanship are just as impressive as the carefully balanced proportions. An example of just how special responsibly designed products can look is provided by the Super Chair. Produced by Italian manufacturer DAMIANO LATINI, the chair is moulded from a single piece of poly-propylene. Another remarkable feature is that it is made from recycled polypropylene, as not every design allows the use of recycled material and a special injection moulding process is required for its production.

Exhibition 2: “Design on Stage 2024–2025”
Spread over five floors, the exhibition “Design on Stage” gives visitors a comprehensive overview of current product design trends and developments. The exhibition is designed to give visitors the opportunity to familiarise themselves with some of the basics of good design at the beginning of their visit. For example, on their tour of the ground floor of the museum, they come upon brief introductory texts and sample products that allow them to assess for themselves the products that they encounter during their visit.

Exhibition area “Urban Mobility”
There is also a separate exhibition area within the “Design on Stage” exhibition dedicated to the topic of urban mobility. It takes into account the development that traffic in cities is slowly changing – private transport is to be reduced in the medium and long term in favour of local public transport, sharing concepts and low-emission transport methods. Manufacturers and designers are also tackling the issue with great commitment. The “Urban Mobility” exhibition area, which showcases not only bicycles and e-bikes but also many cleverly thought-out and well-designed accessories for city commuters, demonstrates the solutions they are finding, particularly for the switch to bicycles in urban environments.

Exhibition 3: Thule Design Team – Designing for an Active Life
The Swedish outdoor and lifestyle brand Thule has perfected the individual extension of the car, for example with roof and bike racks, and has developed into the world market leader for sports and cargo carriers since it was founded in 1942. Today, Thule offers a complete range of high-quality outdoor products. The Thule design team, which is characterised by its tireless commitment to innovative, functional and sustainable products and a deep understanding of its customers’ needs, has played a major role in the brand’s success. This year, the overall design achievement of the Thule design team was recognised with the honorific title “Red Dot: Design Team of the Year”. The Thule Design Team has its own exhibition on the ground floor, providing an insight into the team’s work and the company’s products.

A museum and an exploratorium – a slightly different type of museum
In the design museum in Essen, everything is slightly different from ‘normal’ museums. The entire exhibition changes once a year, after the selection of the winners of the Red Dot Award: Product Design, one of the most important international design competitions. Around 40 design experts convene in Essen once a year to decide which products will receive a distinction. They arrive at their decision after assessing the products and discussing them in detail. Those products are then presented in the Red Dot Design Museum for almost a year. Featuring roughly 1,500 products from all over the globe, the museum houses the world’s largest exhibition of contemporary design. Furthermore, many of the products exhibited can be touched and tried out. The museum has a special appeal, as the design products are displayed against a historical industrial backdrop, with the building making up part of the Zollverein UNESCO world heritage site.

Red Dot Design Museum – Opening hours and entrance fees
Tuesdays – Sundays & public holidays: 11 am to 6 pm (last admittance: 5 pm)
Mondays: closed (except on public holidays and during school holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia)
Entrance fee for special exhibitions: EUR 9 (reduced rate: EUR 4)
Children under the age of 12: free
Fridays: pay what you want

Press contact

Astrid Ruta | Konzept. Text. Redaktion.
Phone: +49 201 84079533           
E-mail: museum(at)astridruta.de