Goethe Institut: Creating the world of Wuschel

Exhibition of Axel Scheffler’s original sketches and illustrations for Wuschel auf der Erde

In this exhibition, visitors are invited into the imaginative world of Axel Scheffler through a series of original illustrations. Known to many for iconic works such as The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom, Axel here reveals his work created for Wuschel auf der Erde, the Goethe-Institut’s primary German textbook published in autumn 2024.

Already part of the learning journey of more than 3,600 young language enthusiasts across the UK, the book introduces Wuschel and Miki—two new characters whose universe is both fantastical and warmly familiar.

Presented together for the first time are early character studies, developmental sketches, and final artworks that illuminate Axel’s distinctive creative process. The evolution of these images—along with the typography and visual language that accompany them—offers an intimate glimpse behind the scenes. What emerges isa vibrant constellation of creatures, forms, and ideas, each stage revealing the careful shaping of a world designed to spark curiosity, delight, and linguistic discovery