Museum
City Museums Freiburg
City Museums Freiburg is a museum.
About City Museums Freiburg
Overview & Identity
The City Museums Freiburg (Städtische Museen Freiburg) operate as a unified municipal institution encompassing multiple specialized houses dedicated to art, history, and natural science. The network comprises the Augustinermuseum, the Museum für Neue Kunst, the Museum Natur und Mensch, and the Museum für Stadtgeschichte. These institutions are administratively linked, offering a shared digital online collection that aggregates objects from all constituent museums for public access. The organization serves as a central hub for the cultural heritage of Freiburg im Breisgau and the Upper Rhine region.
History & Founding
The artistic core of the institution, the Augustinermuseum, was founded in the 1880s by Lord Mayor Otto Winterer as a municipal art collection. The Museum für Stadtgeschichte (Museum of City History) was established later, officially opening its doors in 1994 within the historic Wentzingerhaus. This museum was created to present the history of Freiburg from its origins around 1100 to the Baroque era. In a significant recent development, the Museum für Stadtgeschichte closed at the end of 2024, with its collection being relocated to the newly renovated Augustinermuseum to be presented there starting in March 2026.
Building & Architecture
The Augustinermuseum is housed in the former monastery of the Augustinian Hermits, a complex that includes a reconstructed church building and cloister. The church underwent a major reconstruction led by architect Christoph Mäckler starting in 2004, which included stabilizing the structure, restoring the roof truss, and adding modern features like circular galleries and an elevator. The Museum für Stadtgeschichte was located in the Wentzingerhaus, a rare surviving late-Baroque artist's house built after 1761 by Johann Christian Wentzinger. This building retained original features such as the piano nobile layout, decorative elements, and large vaulted cellars, serving as both a museum and a historic monument itself.
Collection Highlights
The Augustinermuseum holds a renowned collection of art from the Middle Ages to the Baroque, featuring masterpieces by Matthias Grünewald, Lucas Cranach the Elder, Martin Schaffner, and Hans Baldung. Notable works include 'Christ on a Donkey' (1350/60) and paintings from the Speyer Altarpiece. The collection also includes medieval stained glass from the Freiburg Minster and Baroque sculptures. The Museum für Stadtgeschichte featured a detailed city model of Freiburg as it appeared in 1600 and 1700, along with exhibits on the city's founding by the House of Zähringen, monasteries, and crafts. The Museum Natur und Mensch contributes natural history and ethnological objects to the network's holdings.
Significance & Legacy
The City Museums Freiburg represent one of the most significant cultural institutions in the Upper Rhine region, preserving and presenting a comprehensive narrative of the city's 900-year history and artistic development. The integration of the Museum für Stadtgeschichte into the Augustinermuseum in 2026 marks a new chapter, consolidating the city's historical and artistic treasures under one roof. The network's commitment to digital access through its online collection ensures that its holdings, including hidden treasures and specialized artifacts like coins and musical instruments, are accessible to a global audience, expanding its educational and cultural impact beyond physical visitors.
What to see at City Museums Freiburg
Start with Brustbild von Johanna Dold by Ganter, Dionys.
What's on
- Playing field. Sport & art1 May 2026 – 11 Oct 2026