City museum on Aachen's Katschhof between the cathedral and the town hall: Aachen's history from the Stone Age to today, with Charlemagne as the central figure.
September 12, 2026 – April 4, 2027
The exhibition traces how Jülicher Straße developed into Aachen's most important industrial district in the 19th century – with products ranging from umbrellas to safes – and looks at working and living conditions as well as structural change.
The Centre Charlemagne was created as the starting point of the Route Charlemagne, which links key sites of Aachen's history such as the cathedral, the town hall, the Couven-Museum and the Zeitungsmuseum (newspaper museum). The City of Aachen opened the new city museum in 2014, the year marking the 1,200th anniversary of the death of Charlemagne, who had made Aachen the center of his empire.
The site on the west side of the Katschhof lies on the grounds of the Carolingian palace, where a passageway once connected the royal hall and the Church of St. Mary. Later a courthouse stood here, then a Baroque building by Johann Joseph Couven and, from 1903, an administrative building. After it was destroyed in the war, Gerhard Graubner built a modern administrative building in 1957–1960, which is now a listed monument. The Aachen firm hks Architekten converted it into a museum from 2009, restored the facades and added a glass entrance; a triangular gallery for temporary exhibitions echoes the irregular squares of the old town.
The permanent exhibition on the second floor tells the city's history across some 800 square meters in six sections – from early settlement and the Roman spa town to the palace and coronation city, the Baroque spa resort and industrialization, up to the European city of the Charlemagne Prize (Karlspreis). Stations include more than 20 media stations, a history lab on the Carolingian era and the original bronze statue of Charlemagne from the market fountain. On the first floor, the museum shows changing exhibitions on aspects of Aachen's history.
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €6Trainees/apprentices, holders of the volunteer pass (Ehrenamtspass), people doing voluntary service, holders of a spa visitor's card (Kurkarte) or Alumni Card, students aged 21 and over |
| Children & teens | €4free up to age 6 · Visitors up to and including age 21 from outside the city and the StädteRegion Aachen pay €4; those from the city and the StädteRegion Aachen get free admission. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free for people with severe disabilities. |
| Students & apprentices | €6Reduced for students aged 21 and over; free for students attending as part of courses at Aachen universities. |
| Groups (8+ people) | €6 per personGroup tour (60 min.) plus admission: weekdays €70, Sundays/public holidays €80, in a foreign language €80/€90; 90 min. €105–135. School tours €45–55. |
| Families | €242 adults and 2 children aged 7 and over; each additional child €4. |
| Museum card “Six for Six” (6 Aachen museums, 6 months) | €30reduced €18 |
| Museum card “Four for Six” (Centre Charlemagne, Couven-Museum, IZM, town hall; 6 months) | €20reduced €12 |
| Public guided tour | €3plus admission |
| Audio guide | €3Rental |
Prices apply to permanent and temporary exhibitions; they may differ for major exhibitions. Free admission also for Aachen-Pass holders and members of ICOM and the Museumsbund, among others. ASEAG combination ticket (bus ride + museum admission) available.
Elevator between the first floor (ticket desk, temporary exhibitions, shop, restrooms) and the permanent exhibition on the second floor; accessible entrance and restroom. Many media stations offer content in German Sign Language. The auditorium is only partially accessible. Guide dogs are allowed.
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 6 |
| Family ticket | €24 · 2 adults and 2 children aged 7 and over; each additional child €4. |
Program of guided tours and workshops for parents and children (dates in the calendar, booking via Museumsdienst Aachen); in the history lab, objects from the Carolingian period can be touched.
Elisenbrunnen · 5-min walk · 400 m
Bus stop Elisenbrunnen (served by almost all lines, including 11, 14, 21, 44 and SB63 from the main station), then about a 5-minute walk; about 20 minutes on foot from the main station.
Parking available
Parkhaus am Dom parking garage, Jesuitenstraße 10 (also for navigation); parking is prohibited on the Katschhof.
The city center is largely a pedestrian zone; taxis go as far as the town hall on the Markt (1 min. to the museum). ASEAG combination ticket including museum admission available.
Get directionsKarls Café on the first floor, accessible without a museum ticket. Please leave coats and bags in the lockers. No parking at the Katschhof; nearest parking garage: Parkhaus am Dom, Jesuitenstraße 10. Program of tours and workshops for parents and children.
Up to 200 guests.
Rentals through the City of Aachen's cultural services (Kulturbetrieb; locations@mail.aachen.de): foyer (260 m², standing receptions, e.g. for weddings or birthdays, up to 200 people) and auditorium (70 m², lectures and seminars up to 60 people).
Inquiries & details| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Allow 45–60 minutes for a visit with a guide or guided tour. Guided tours, workshops and school programs (including the history lab and museum kits) through the Museumsdienst Aachen, tel. 0241 432-4998, museumsdienst@mail.aachen.de, at least 14 days in advance. Food and drinks are not allowed in the exhibition rooms. |
All 9 museums in Aachen All museums in North Rhine-Westphalia
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