Themenmenüs

Themenmenüs (singular: das Themenmenü) is a term used in German-language information architecture and user interface design to describe a navigational structure that groups items by theme rather than by function or a strict hierarchical category. A theme menu presents content organized around topics or subjects, enabling users to explore related items through a single thematic entry point.

In digital interfaces, themenmenüs appear as top-level or secondary menus that guide users to topic pages, articles, products, or services related to a single theme. They are common on news portals, cultural institutions, educational platforms, and e-commerce sites seeking topic-centric discovery. The term is also used outside digital contexts, notably in the hospitality industry to describe menus that are built around a unifying culinary theme, with multiple themed menus offered concurrently.

Design goals include improving discoverability, reducing cognitive load, and providing contextual navigation. Effective themenmenüs use clear, topic-focused labels, consistent theming (visuals and icons), predictable structure, and accessible implementation. They should be responsive and work well with search and filtering to accommodate diverse user intents.

Historically, thematic navigation emerged from information architecture as content catalogs grew larger and more diverse. In German design discourse, themenmenüs are discussed as a way to align navigation with user goals and content semantics, complementing traditional hierarchical menus and faceted search approaches.

See also: thematic navigation, faceted search, topic-based navigation.