There Was Light! Guided Tour on Early Electrification at the Gardener and Hacker Museum
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When Historical Electricity Tells of the Leap into Modernity
How did electric light change the daily life of a Bamberg gardener family? The guided tour through the cabinet exhibition There Was Light! at the Gardener and Hacker Museum makes the beginnings of domestic electrification tangible. On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 5 PM, visitors will discover original lamps, wiring paths, light switches, and circuit boards from around 1908/10.
Original Evidence of a Technical Turning Point
In the historic gardener's house, parts of the electrical installation set up by Thomas Kauer around 1908/10 are preserved. The exhibition draws attention to technical details that are easily overlooked in everyday life: wires, switches, and circuit boards become vivid documents of an era when electric light was by no means a given.
Thomas Kauer and the Electrification of the Gardener Household
Thomas Kauer came from a Bamberg gardener family and learned the profession of an electrical installer at the company Groß & Bohrer around 1900. While many gardener households still illuminated their living spaces with gas lamps or candles, the Kauer family was already taking advantage of electric lighting. Thus, the house is among the early examples of electrified residential buildings in the gardening environment.
Study of Work Between Everyday History and Technical History
The exhibition atmosphere is created not by spectacular staging, but by the proximity to the preserved originals. Materiality, construction, and signs of use convey a sensory aesthetic experience and show how technical advancement infiltrated private living spaces. The curation combines cultural history, museum education, and concrete study of works into an intelligible art experience for those interested in technology and history.
Guided Tour on October 13, 2026
The guided tour begins at 5 PM and does not require prior registration. Participation in the tour is included in the regular museum entry fee. The cabinet exhibition can be seen from July 24 to November 8, 2026; the museum is regularly open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11 AM to 5 PM.
Conclusion: Electric Light as a Cultural Experience
The tour opens a focused view of early electrification and its effects on life in the Bamberg gardener district. Those who wish to experience historical technology, regional everyday history, and authentic museum spaces together will find a remarkable art experience here. A visit is worthwhile because the exhibition shows how profoundly a seemingly ordinary innovation changed the perception of space, time, and quality of life.
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