Museum sights in Thuringia
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Neues Museum
The Neues Museum houses works of contemporary art in Weimar. The complex was built in 1863, as a gallery exclusively for works relating to Homer's Odyssey, but another odyssey occurred after it was used as a Halle der Volksgemeinschaft (literally 'people's solidarity hall') by the Nazis, and was then renamed Karl-Marx-Platz under the GDR.
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Goethe Nationalmuseum
Less about the great man of letters himself than his epoch, the Goethe Nationalmuseum focuses on the late 17th- and early 18th-century, a period referred to as Weimar Classicism. Goethe, Schiller, his ducal patrons (Anna Amalia and Carl August), his muse (Charlotte von Stein) and various cultural spear-carriers feature in this loose collection of paintings, books, busts, letters and other objets d'art.
Part of the museum complex, the Faustina café has a controversial Christoph Hodgson mural depicting Weimar's glorious Who's Who; lurking among the famous faces - with a couple of amusing touches - is one Adolf Hitler.
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Schiller Haus
The dramatist Friedrich von Schiller lived in Weimar from 1799 until his early death in 1805. Study up on the man, his family and life in Thuringia in a new permanent exhibit before plunging on to the private quarters, including the study with his deathbed and the desk where he wrote Wilhelm Tell and other famous works.
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Bauhaus Museum
Considering that Weimar is the birthplace of the influential Bauhaus school, this is a rather modest affair. Plans are to move to newer, larger premises, so check the situation again from 2013.
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Weimar Haus
The Weimar Haus is a history museum for people who hate history museums. Sets, sound and light effects, wax figures and even an animatronic Goethe accompany you on your 30-minute journey into Thuringia’s past, from prehistory to the Enlightenment. The production values can be comical, but the entertainment factor is inarguably high.
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Angermuseum
Housed inside a fully restored baroque building dating from the early 18th century, the Angermuseum has a strong collection of medieval art, paintings ranging from the 17th century to contemporary times and Thuringian faience (glazed earthenware). A highlight is the Heckelraum (Heckelraum) on the ground floor, which has Expressionist frescos by the artist Erich Heckel.
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Stadtmuseum
Inside the magnificent portal of the Haus am Stockfisch, the Stadtmuseum has exhibits ranging from a medieval bone-carver’s workshop to displays on Erfurt in GDR times.
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Museum für Thüringer Volkskunde
This museum is one of the largest of its ilk in Germany, with an interesting collection that focuses on the applied arts, with household objects, furnishings and tools of all sorts. Its centrepiece is an exhibit on 19th-century village life.
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Schlossmuseum
Situated in the former residential palace, which was rebuilt in 1789–1803 after a fire, the Schlossmuseum houses works of art dating from the middle Ages to the turn of the 20th century. Not to be missed is the gallery containing the works of Lukas Cranach the Elder and of other European masters such as Rodin, Tischbein and Caspar David Friedrich.
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Wittumspalais
This is the palace in which the duchess Anna Amalia lived from 1774, after the residiential palace (today the Schlossmuseum) burned. Rooms contain period furniture and paintings, culminating in the Green Salon, the living room of the duchess.
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Goethe Haus & Nationalmuseum
No other individual is as closely associated with Weimar as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who lived in this town from 1775 until his death in 1832, the last 50 years in what is now the Goethe Haus. This is where he worked, studied, researched and penned Faust and other immortal works. If you’re a Goethe fan, you’ll get the chills when seeing his study and the bedroom where he died, both preserved in their original state. To get the most from your visit, use the audioguide (free). To preserve the exhibits, the number of visitors is limited and you purchase a ticket for a specific time.
Part of the museum complex adjoing Goethe’s house is now a modern exhibition space that…
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