History for all the Senses
You want your guests to truly experience days long gone by?
You wish for extraordinary, immersive programming for your event?
Historically correct AND entertaining at the same time?
A true eyecatcher, with reliable content?
Are you facing any of these Challenges..?
...you're planning an exhibit, festival, or jubilee and wish to present historical topics in an entertaining manner.
...you don't want to rely on speakers, copy & catalogues only, but are looking for that secret ingredient that will get your guests raving.
...you wish for a creative partner, to put the thinking caps on together & implement things also practically - site specific!
Inspiration beats Instruction
Let the treasures from your collections & archives emerge. We make them shine to enthuse others!
Let's create event formats which get people talking - to each other, about you... because they are emotionally engaged.
Proactively make your guests' & clients' visitor Journey even more entertaining & fun whilst unpacking real history.
Want to show history -BUT:
Nobody has a good idea how?
There's never enough time?
Your team already runs to capacity?
From Explanation to Experience
How would you like...
- YOUR historical topic translated into a professional artistic format. With more perfectly matching thematic event modules to boot.
- True delight as your clients receive a bespoke graphic novel about your content.
- No more dull corp videos. Try this instead: let historical personalities talk to your audiences. Get people involved through empathy, capture their imagination - and inspire brand loyalty.
Angela Pfenninger M. A.
Your Museum Theatre & Historical Events Expert
Hey! I'm Angela and in 2012, I set up my agency Museum-Theater-Events to develop quirky offers for museum visitors off the beaten track. I love history, and hate to see poorly done interpretation. Don't get me started..!
With my first class Cultural Studies degree, as well as over 20 years of event management experience under my belt, I established my company which is unique in Germany, and relies on a huge network of freelancers, artists, experts at home and abroad.
To provide alternatives to the copy-paste of historical olde-worlde humdrum you see in many places (and, like me, might find mildly embarassing).
Instead, I make programmes based on thorough research, balanced methodoloy & excellent kit. To offer education with a wink & a smile.
So you as a museum or archive person, as a marketer, agency booker or CEO can have 1 partner for bespoke concepts AND professional implementation. Hassle-free, reliable, with a great love for detail, people and history.
We've produced dozens of different formats. Some use historical costuming, some are set in the present day. Some digital, some analogue. Conventional & crazy. Loud, subtle, against the grain. Navigating sensitive listed environments, churches, trams. From A like app content to Z like zoom presentation.
In English and German.
Curious? Make sure to contact me for a chat then!
Yours truly, Angela
Does this sound familiar?
Wherever you look - everyone seems to be doing the same.
No wonder decision makers think that costumed interpretation = “Disney”.
And to be honest: I'm really #tiredofnightwatchmantours (no offence)
Why is there so much copy-pasting when: There's so much more possible!?
... whenever thorough research meets charm & playfulness as well as professional organisation. Then, great things emerge.
YOUR history is special. Unique.
It deserves to be brought to life on point, to be made immersive, to invite others to experience it.
Your visitors, clients, VIPs should rave about your event for weeks because...
- it was super personal
- it exceeded their expectations
- it touched their hearts.
Entertainment, inspiration & historical learning with a smile - this is my passion.
When will we tell YOUR story?
History made relatable & shareable.
Bridging the gap between Then & Now
Site-specific. Unique.
Impossible to copy.
Why Take My Word For It?
Find more client feedback on Google
Palatinate Teacher Training Institute
Dr. Thomas Cohnen
"As part of a professional development course on Sophie von La Roche, Angela Pfenninger brought this fascinating 18th-century woman to life for the participants. In addition, she led a workshop where she taught the participants how to explore historical figures using simple methods from drama and theater. Through this, she demonstrated that she is not only an excellent actress but also an outstanding educator."
Saalburg Roman Fort
Rüdiger Schwarz
"Over several years, Angela Pfenninger has participated in events at the Saalburg Roman Fort. Her portrayal of the Wilhelminian era truly brought this period to life for museum visitors. The authentic costumes were just as convincing as her interaction with other performers—altogether, a genuine enrichment of our museum offerings.
Partner-Agency "Facing the Past"
Dr. Ullrich Brand
"Ms Pfenninger is a highly valued colleague with whom we have collaborated on numerous projects, including those on the history of the Reformation. She impresses not only with her acting talent but also shares our commitment to historically accurate costumes, attention to the behaviors of the portrayed time periods, and thorough research into the necessary background of the roles she portrays. We greatly enjoy working with her and appreciate her as a competent colleague in the realm of high-quality and professional living history."
Beuren Open Air Museum
Christine H., Performer
"I am a volunteer at the Beuren Open-Air Museum. For the "Gespielte Geschichte" project, Ms. Pfenninger wrote several plays that creatively convey the life of the past to the audience. She did an outstanding job. She places great importance on historical accuracy while also incorporating humor, which makes the performances very popular with both young and old audiences. With dedication and attention to detail, she leads our amateur group. I have found her to be extremely committed and can highly recommend her services."
Period chit chat, anyone..?
Let's stick our heads together
To create YOUR bespoke programme
To delight YOUR visitors.
(PS: this is a recording of a 2014 gig in England, I was one of the ladies)
Straight from the Horse's Mouth
To hear more about my work as a professional interpreter, have a listen to the IMTAL (International Museum Theatre Alliance) podcast episode of "Museum Theatre Musings"
Or the EXARC (International Association of Archaeological Open-Air Museums) podcast episode "Open to Interpretation", a dialogue between Angela from Museum-Theater-Events and an American colleague from Colonial Williamsburg.
Frequently Asked Questions
Missing one? Drop me a line! Contact Form see below ;-)
Which event management experience do you have?
After my uni degree in Cultural Studies in 2001, I have worked in festival management & event marketing. This includes: the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival, Heidelberger Fruehling Classical music festival, City of Heidelberg festivals (markets, stages, cavalcades, fireworks) as well as the City of Karlsruhe jubilee festivities (exhibits, installation & media art, classic venue programming, overseeing legal tendering procedures & civic society involvement schemes). For the Palatinate District association, I organised award ceremonies and quirky fundraising formats.
Therefore I am familiar with the entire "life cycle" of event management: from the first brainstorm to budgeting, health & safety, catering, entertainment & artist booking, customer care etc. I know the cares & needs of the CEO who wants something special, but is pressed for time. Of admin people who simply have no affinity to the upcoming historical jubilee. Of your marketers, who are dependant on clever imagery & storylines to put on your website and social media. Or your finance department, who are keen to know they are dealing with reliable partners.
You're German - do you work abroad as well?
Indeed - gladly! As an arts practitioner, it has always been my dream, and sometimes privilege, to reach audiences away from home. The archetypal themes behind all of our historical narratives ring familiar with audiences across the globe - and always work!
During my event manager career, I spent 3 years working in Edinburgh/UK, and was a student in England before that, so my brain functions bilingually anyway. Museum theatre also led me abroad - as a guest performer for a British throne jubliee in 2014, or as a speaker at various international education conferences.
My clients profit from my network & the International Museum Theatre Alliance IMTAL, of which I was Chair for some years. I'm in touch with performers from Europe, the US, Australia, Asia and Africa. Our "trade" isn't equally represented in all cultures. But the exchange between us professional history interpreters is close. Therefore, a pool of talent from YOUR country, devising programmes in YOUR language, is well within reach. Contact me digitally and we can discuss via Zoom how a presence on site can be best organised.
Do you portray all Historical Eras?
No - nor do I aspire to. Although I cover a lot of history, my special interest lies in the last 500 years - 16th century/Reformation and onwards to the present day with a focus on Northern European history. This is also reflected in my wardrobe ;-) I sometimes create programmes that focus on medieval history, but most of my work is historically later.
As for pre-history (stone age), Antiquity (Greek, Roman), Bronze & Iron Age (Celts etc) I am admittedly not an expert myself.
For such commissions, I get colleagues in my network on board who will provide the academic expertise and give sound advice on kit. In such cases, I may later take the lead in performance methodology & event planning & let other historians scan the sources to find the best contents we wish to unpack.
And if there is a job I know I would not do well - I shall gracefully decline, and gladly refer you on to colleagues who specialise in your demanded field. I'd rather miss out on an opportunity than deliver a mediocre result.
Which services can I book?
I am offering the following: scriptwriting based on historical sources (ie. from your archives or books) for theatre scenes, dramatised auido guides or app content. In short: I turn your sources into relatable narrative, without sacrificing accuracy.
I direct my (mostly short) bespoke plays, help with casting if the actors aren't already working on site (some museums have that), advise on & organise the suitable material culture (costuming, props). If and when suitable, I love to perform myself.
I devise a concept for your historically-themed event in its entirety, if wanted. For instance: you have comissioned a play, and your historical protagonists talked to your public via social media for weeks - the opening or jubilee now has to match the tone & quality!
If you want a graphic novel about your subject, I do the scripting for that (not the drawings! I leave that people more qualified ;-)
Or send your guides who want to explore the world of costumed interpretation (or freshen up existing formats) in my courses.
'Allo 'Allo? - Get in touch today!
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