January 8 | Curator's tour
“I print! Signets, brands, and printer's marks since the age of Gutenberg” – With Dr. Nino Nanobashvili
A mysterious fire salamander, a burning heart, or a dolphin and anchor – such symbols shaped the prints of their creators from early on: Printer's marks – the “business cards” of early printers – are the focus of the first major special exhibition since the Gutenberg Museum moved to its new home. Dr. Nino Nanobashvili shows how historical signets developed into today's publishing logos and how these continue to shape the appearance of books to this day.
LOCATION: Gutenberg-Museum MOVED
TIME: 6:00 PM
January 22 | Panel discussion (accompanying the exhibition “I print! Signet, brand, and printer's mark since the age of Gutenberg”)
Impulse: Dr. Nino Nanobashvili (Gutenberg Museum Mainz) and Jun.-Prof. Dr. Hui Luan Tran (JGU Mainz),
Prof. Gregor Ade (Mainz University of Applied Sciences), Alexander Elspas (Büchergilde Gutenberg), Dr. Katja Richter (Deutscher Kunstverlag), Bertram Schmidt-Friderichs (Verlag Hermann Schmidt)
Moderator: Prof. Dr. Gerhard Lauer (JGU Mainz)
Printer's marks open a window into the world of their time of origin: they tell us about the self-image of printers and publishers and about the book market under changing political and religious influences. The panel discussion draws parallels to today's publishing logos: what stories do they tell, what stages and milestones in publishing history become visible – and what does this mean for their design and marketing?
LOCATION: Gutenberg-Museum MOVED Aula
TIME: 6:00 PM
January 30 | Colloquium
The XXXI Mainz Colloquium: Platformization and the Future of Audiobooks
How are audiobooks changing the world of books? The 31st Mainz Colloquium examines how platforms such as Spotify, Storytel, and Tonieboxes are shaping our reading and listening habits, what consequences this has for the book market, and how aesthetics and narrative styles are changing as a result of listening rather than reading. The colloquium is organized by the Mainz Book Studies Department and the Literature Department at Uppsala University.
LOCATION: Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Left Auditorium
TIME: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
March 05 | Workshop discussion
Paper is forever.
A look behind the scenes at the studio of paper sculptor Angela Glajcar
Angela Glajcar's sculptures made of paper, light, and air can be found in museums, collections, and private homes around the globe. Where do these flying objects come from and how do they get there? What does her catalog of works have to do with it? The creation process is just as multifaceted as her works themselves. Together with her studio manager Sasa Hanten, Angela Glajcar talks about her paper universe.
LOCATION: Gutenberg Museum MOVED Aula
TIME: 6:00 PM
April 23 | Treffpunkt Gutenberg
Digitization and the challenges of AI
With Dr. André Heck and Prof. Torsten Schrade
Collecting, preserving, researching, and communicating—in addition to these traditional tasks of museums, it is now also necessary to make cultural heritage fit for the age of AI. Since 2025, the Gutenberg Bibles have been digitally accessible – a great boon for research and the public. But is this data secure?
Together with NFDI4Culture spokesperson Prof. Torsten Schrade, Dr. André Heck discusses how to open a treasure chest while strengthening its lock.
LOCATION: Gutenberg-Museum MOVED Aula
TIME: 6:00 PM
May 09 – August 23 | Exhibition
Flora – From Herb Book to Plant Power
The multimedia exhibition “flora” highlights the complex relationship between humans, health, and plants. Based on the early German-language herbal book “Gart der Gesundheit” (Garden of Health), which was written in Mainz in 1485, it deals with historical and modern perspectives on medical knowledge and ecological challenges. The exhibition is staged by students from Mainz University of Applied Sciences in a unique collaboration with the Gutenberg Museum and the Natural History Museum, which currently share the museum building and are now exhibiting together for the first time
LOCATION: Gutenberg-Museum MOVED
June 11 | Curator's tour
Flora – From herb book to plant power
With Ulla Reske
The important Mainz incunabulum “Gart der Gesundheit” (Garden of Health) by Johann Wonnecke von Kaub describes around 380 plants. Ulla Reske explains the influence of the work on botanical and medical literature and guides visitors through the exhibition, which uses multimedia to convey the enduring relevance of plants and their healing powers.
LOCATION: Gutenberg-Museum MOVED
TIME: 6:00 PM
June 19 | Johannisnacht
Kick-off event for the Mainzer Johannisnacht
June 20 | Gutenberg Society
Regular General Meeting
of the International Gutenberg Society in Mainz e. V., followed by a presentation of the Gutenberg Yearbook 2026
Ceremonial awarding of the Gutenberg Prize 2026
LOCATION: Kurfürstliches Schloss, Mainz