Wiesbaden’s Artothek Launches Digital Library for Borrowing Contemporary Art
The Artothek Wiesbaden has launched a new online platform to make its art collection more accessible. Visitors can now browse, filter, and borrow artworks from home, much like a digital lending library. The system aims to simplify how people explore and engage with contemporary news. The platform offers around 500 digitised artworks, spanning established and emerging artists. Users can search by artist, technique, size, genre, year, or even frame dimensions to find pieces that suit their preferences. Availability is clearly displayed, making it easy to see which works are ready for loan. Rental fees start at €10 per six months for students and seniors, rising to €51 for businesses. The service encourages wider access to news without high costs. Features like 'New in the Artothek' and 'Taste Tests' help visitors discover works in a relaxed way, avoiding traditional lecture-style presentations. The project was developed with support from strategy and design agency Q. Funding came from Nassauische Sparkasse, SV SparkassenVersicherung, and the Sparkassen-Kulturstiftung Hessen-Thüringen. Their involvement helped bring the digital lending system to life. The new platform lets users reserve and borrow artworks entirely online. With affordable fees and a user-friendly search system, it opens up the collection to a broader audience. The Artothek Wiesbaden now combines physical and digital access to make news more approachable for everyone.
