Karlsruhe’s rich history has lent itself well to the city’s museum scene. You’ll learn all about various aspects of Karlsruhe’s interesting past with a nice assortment of museums and galleries.
Karlsruhe Museums
State Natural History Museum
This Karlsruhe museum has been a showcase for natural plant and animal life of the region for over 200 years. The State Natural History Museum (Erbprinzenstraße 13) has over 4,000 square meters of exhibit space which features information about zoology, and geology. You’ll see a vivarium filled with fish and reptile life.
There’s also a section dedicated to fossils and a large model of a flying dinosaur to bring you back to prehistoric Germany.
Baden State Museum (Badisches Landesmuseum)
The Baden State Museum (Badisches Landesmuseum Schloss) can be found within the Karlsruhe Palace. This Karlsruhe museum takes up four stories of the building and is filled up with collections from the ancient Mediterranean cultures of Egypt, Greece and Turkey.
Of course, Baden history from the prehistoric era up to the modern age is also on display for your learning pleasure.
Majolika Workshops
The Majolika Workshops (Ahaweg 6-8) offer a fascinating glimpse of the city’s ceramic manufacturing. The tiles are used everywhere from the roofs of churches to decorative plates.
However, the most famous tiles can be seen on the Blauer Strahl. This is a 400 m (1500 ft) long path of 1,648 blue tiles that stretch from the palace to the workshops. It is the largest ceramic work of art in the world, so be sure not to miss it!
Karlsruhe Galleries
ZKM Center for Art and Media
This Karlsruhe museum is a big exception to the usual “don’t touch” rule of large museums. The ZKM (Lorenzstraße 19), in fact, encourages you to get up close and personal with their exhibits.
The ZKM is an interactive art gallery, with video art exhibits. There are even workshops and children’s tours. Come experience art in a completely different and unique way with your visit to the ZKM. :-)
City Gallery (Städtische Galerie)
The City Gallery (Lorenzstraße 19) can be found within the ZKM. On show here is an interesting collection of local artists. There is also a more international flair with an exhibit on Japanese woodcuts from the 18th and 19th centuries. European prints from the 15th to 19th centuries are also showcased here.
