exhibitions and lectures were held again in the museum already in December. Through the initiative of the businessmen, the first floor was restored. On September 5, 1950, repaired exhibition halls on the upper floor were reopened. Until 1953, exhibitions of the museum were also held in the “Studio for New Art” in the house of the architect Heinz Rasch at Döppersberg 24. The spirit of optimism after the war led to the merger of the two art associations – the Barmer Kunstverein and the Elberfelder Museumsverein – to form the Kunst- und Museumsverein Wuppertal in 1946. As successor to Dr. Viktor Dirksen, Dr. Harald Seiler became the new museum director in 1952 (until 1962).