Barockbaumeister Museum

About the museum

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Bregenzerwald master builders and craftsmen from Au planned and built around 800 churches, monasteries and secular buildings in southern Germany, Switzerland and Alsace. The basis for this was the “Auer Zunft”, founded in 1657 by Michael Beer, a professional association and at the same time a religious confraternity. Its heyday lasted from the 1650s to the 1780s; during this time it trained 1814 apprentices.

The museum presents this history in the Kurathus of Au-Rehmen, whose oldest parts date from the 16th century. The listed building stood empty for a long time and was renovated from 2020 by members of the local craftsmen's guild. The museum is run by the association akkurat, founded in 2019; it opened on 26 September 2021, on the ground floor of the building.

The exhibition is divided into four themes: training and planning in the guild, the organization of building projects, the mobility and networking of the master builders, and the consequences of their long absences for village life. The originals include a guild chest from the time of the founder, a journeyman's book, plans, stucco pieces and a cattle-grazing board of about 1730; the “Auer Lehrgänge”, two hand-drawn architecture books, can be viewed digitally.

Highlights

• Guild chest from the time of the guild founder Michael Beer (1657)
• Auer Lehrgänge: hand-drawn textbooks in digital form
• Plans, stucco pieces and journeyman's book of the master builders
• Family trees and places of work of the Baroque master builders
• Listed 16th-century Kurathus

Permanent exhibition

• Dauerausstellung zur Auer Zunft und den Barockbaumeistern – Four thematic areas on training, building organization, mobility and the consequences for village life, with original objects and digital textbooks.

Founded

2021

Operated by

Verein akkurat

Director

Bernadette Rüscher

Admission & discounts

10% discount with the Bregenzerwald guest card or Saison-Card.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Listed by Bregenzerwald Tourismus among the region's accessible cultural offerings.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

By car along the L200 to Hotel Schiff, where you turn left. The museum is in the Au-Rehmen district near the church.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop with catalogs and publications; orders also by email.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit