Germany. April 2020. Nothing runs anymore. Total lockdown. While everyone is facing an unprecedented task, Germany's museums are facing nothingness. No visitors. No admission fees. No prospect for the future. How can Facebook help keep museum doors open for visitors – even during the lockdown? And most importantly – how do we give our museums the hope that their mission will carry on despite all obstacles?

With an interactive live museum experience like nothing ever seen before. The Digital Weekend of the Museums. Thanks to Facebook Live and our tour guides, we brought visitors back to the museum – more intimately, in more depth and with greater exclusivity than would have ever been possible during regular museum visits.

Art lovers, sports enthusiasts, or simply just curious. It didn't matter. All of Germany got its money's worth. And completely free of charge. Without tickets, without waiting lines and without having to leave the house.

For two days, we invited people to ten completely different museums from all over Germany – right during the traditionally busy Easter weekend. Visitors were able to participate live in several very personal experiences and interactive museum tours where they could ask questions, peek behind the scenes and experience the exhibitions as close and as undisturbed as never before.

The result was overwhelming. Both for people and museums. In one weekend, the tour guides were able to guide over 190,000 visitors through Germany's exhibitions. Despite Corona and the Lockdown. All in all, we reached more than 1,6 million people with The Digital Weekend of the Museums and generated a media value of €138 million. But above all, we accomplished one thing. And this is the most important. We have given all museums in Germany hope that their legacy will carry on.