For the technology collection, film and cinema technology becomes a self-contained domain by the end of the 19th century. Here, the first possibilities to capture motion sequences and to project the captured series of images in a way that creates the impression of motion on the spectator's side emerge. Still, early forms of cinema also include the numerous Laterna magica presentations that have been evidenced before 1800. All these inventions made use of the fascination of illuminated, projected and / or moving images.
This part of the collection consists of a few magic lanterns used by professional showmen (e.g., a Laterna magica by London-based Horne Thornthwaite) as well as of numerous small devices produced by the toy industry for home use (Jean Schoenner, Ernst Plank, Gebrüder Bing) including the respective glass images or slides. For some objects, the original packaging still exists. The stock also contains a Praxinoscope for children (manufactured around 1900) that was distributed as "Kinematofor" by the manufacturer. Furthermore, a Dux home cinema by Markes Lüdenscheid for the projection of so-called "flickers" is worth mentioning.
The few objects from the pre-cinema technology stock prove, first, that film was not invented overnight but rather developed on the basis of already existing technologies. Second, film did not instantly replace all preceding technologies: pre-cinema devices like lanterns or slide projectors remained popular and complemented an expanding culture of images.
