August 29, 2026 – January 17, 2027
Frank Hauptvogel – In den Gärten II
More than 65 figurative paintings by the Leipzig painter on art, love and nature.
Panorama Museum Bad Frankenhausen
Rotunda on the Schlachtberg housing Werner Tübke's 123-meter-long monumental painting about the era of the Peasants' War, plus changing art exhibitions.
Opening hoursAdmission from €9.50 Wheelchair accessible Café
Current exhibitions
About the museum
The initiative came from the East German leadership in the early 1970s: to commemorate the Peasants' War and the Battle of Frankenhausen of 1525, a panorama was to be built on the Schlachtberg (Battle Hill) above the town. Based on plans by architect Herbert Müller, a cylindrical concrete building about 44 meters in diameter was built from 1974; its shell was finished in 1975.
The commission for the panoramic painting went to Leipzig painter Werner Tübke. From 1976, he worked on designs and a 1:10 scale model, and from 1983 he painted directly on the canvas in the rotunda with a team of assistants. The work was completed in 1987: about 1,722 square meters, 123 meters long and 14 meters high, with more than 3,000 figures. Tübke did not interpret the subject as a heroic tale but as a multilayered world theater of the era between the late Middle Ages and the modern age.
The museum opened on September 14, 1989, just weeks before the fall of the Berlin Wall. After reunification, the Free State of Thuringia took over the museum, and since 1995 it has been called the Panorama Museum. Since 2008, it has been run by a supporting association whose members include the state, the district and the towns of Bad Frankenhausen and Sondershausen.
In addition to the monumental painting, the museum has a cabinet on the painting's creation as well as changing exhibitions, often featuring artists of the Leipzig School and fantastic painting. The museum is listed in the Blaubuch (Blue Book) of nationally significant cultural institutions in eastern Germany.
Highlights
- Werner Tübke's panoramic painting “Frühbürgerliche Revolution in Deutschland” (Early Bourgeois Revolution in Germany) (123 × 14 m, more than 3,000 figures)
- Tübke Cabinet with studies, preparatory works and a documentary on the painting's creation
- Bronze sculptures by Lotta Blokker on the forecourt
- Audio guides in many languages as well as in Easy Language and sign language included
- Located on the historic Schlachtberg above Bad Frankenhausen
Permanent exhibitions
- Frühbürgerliche Revolution in Deutschland – Monumentalbild von Werner Tübke – On 1,722 square meters, the walk-in panoramic painting on the upper floor unfolds an allegorical panorama of the era of upheaval around 1500, centered on the Battle of Frankenhausen.
- Werner Tübkes Monumentalwerk – Das Abenteuer der Bilderfindung – The Tübke Cabinet shows sketches and preparatory works and uses a documentary film to explain how the gigantic painting was created.
- Founded
- 1989
- Operated by
- Panorama Museum e. V. (Trägerverein; u. a. Freistaat Thüringen, Kyffhäuserkreis, Städte Bad Frankenhausen und Sondershausen)
- Director
- Gerd Lindner
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €9.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €8.50School students, university students up to age 25, apprentices, people with severe disabilities, holders of a spa or guest card |
| Children & teens | €4Children's rate applies to ages 6 to 16; the price list does not explicitly state a rule for younger children. |
| Seniors | –No separate senior discount listed. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €8.50Reduced admission for people with severe disabilities; no information on companions. |
| Students & apprentices | €8.50Up to age 25 |
| Groups (20+ people) | €8.50 per personGroups of 20 or more: adults €8.50, school students/university students/apprentices €6, children €3; group tour plus a €80 flat fee. |
| Families | €24Max. 2 adults and 3 children up to age 16 |
| Multi-visit pass (10 visits) | €70 |
| Group tour (flat rate) | €80Plus admission per person |
Audio guide included in admission. Free admission for members of the Museumsverband Thüringen, the Deutscher Museumsbund and ICOM.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours
- Easy-to-read materials
- Audio description
Step-free access via the driveway to the building, accessible parking spaces near the entrance, wheelchair available to borrow on site. Audio guides in Easy Language, German Sign Language (video) and as a tour for visually impaired visitors. Certified under “Reisen für Alle” (Travel for All).
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Family ticket | €24 · Max. 2 adults and 3 children up to age 16 |
|---|
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
The audio guide included in admission is also available in two children's versions (approx. 25 and 27 minutes). Family ticket for 2 adults and up to 3 children. Educational programs for school groups with registration. Elevator in the building.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bad Frankenhausen, Busbahnhof
By train to Artern, Sondershausen or Heldrungen, then by bus to the Bad Frankenhausen bus station; from there on foot (approx. 30–45 min. from the town center on signposted hiking trails such as the Kyffhäuserweg and Lutherweg) or by taxi up the Schlachtberg.
By car
Paid parking · 500 m to the entrance
Parking lot about 500 m from the museum, level paved path to the entrance; daily fee €1 for cars, €2.50 for buses and RVs. Accessible parking spaces right by the accessible entrance.
- Accessible parking
Access via the A 38, A 71 and B 85.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
- Coat check
Museum café; museum shop with catalogs, books and postcards. Larger bags and backpacks must be checked at the cloakroom free of charge.
Events & venue rental
The museum hosts its own concerts, readings and a studio cinema; the website has no information on venue rental.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, EN, FR, NL, DA, ES, IT, PT, SV, RU, PL, CS, JA) |
| Photography | Photography not allowed in the exhibition rooms. |
| Good to know | Public guided tours April to October on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays at 12:00 and 14:00, no registration required. Group tours by arrangement. Audio guides in short, standard (50 min.) and long versions as well as a children's version. |
