Deutsches Burgenmuseum

About the museum

The idea of a central museum presenting the castle as a phenomenon of the German cultural sphere on a national scale goes back to the early 2000s. Cadolzburg Castle in Middle Franconia was initially intended for it; a first concept came from the then Director General of the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, G. Ulrich Großmann. When this plan fell through, the choice fell on Veste Heldburg in the far south of Thuringia.

In 2005 a sponsoring association was formed, in which the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, the Stiftung Thüringer Schlösser und Gärten, the Deutsches Historisches Museum, the district of Hildburghausen, and the town of Heldburg, among others, came together. From 2007 a panel exhibition at the castle promoted the future museum, and in June 2009 the renovation of the complex began. After several years of delays, the museum was officially opened on September 8, 2016.

The Veste, called the "Fränkische Leuchte" (Franconian Beacon) because of its widely visible location, was probably built in the 12th or 13th century as an administrative seat and passed in 1347 from the Counts of Henneberg to the Wettins. The gatehouse and chapel are among the oldest parts; the Heidenbau (around 1490) and the Französischer Bau (around 1560) now serve as the main buildings of the museum. Under Duke Georg II of Saxe-Meiningen the castle was remodeled in the late 19th century; today it belongs to the Stiftung Thüringer Schlösser und Gärten.

The permanent exhibition leads on a tour through the entire castle and shows, in sixteen rooms, more than 350 objects on castle building, siege, living, and rule, up to castle romanticism. As a newly founded institution, the museum is continuously building up its collection – models, pieces of armor, furniture, paintings, prints, and early castle literature – and contributes to castle research with conferences and publications.

Highlights

• Scale models on the development of castle building
• Staging of two fighting knights in original armor
• Medieval scaling ladder, weapons, and archaeological finds
• Authentically furnished living quarters with historic furniture
• Hall in the style of the late 19th century with copies of the Wartburg frescoes
• Long-distance view from the castle tower as far as Coburg

Permanent exhibitions

• Burgen – Geschichte, Kultur, Alltagsleben – Tour through the entire Veste on construction, defense, and everyday life in castles from the Middle Ages to castle romanticism, with models, armor, furniture, and multimedia stations.

Founded

2016

Operated by

Trägerverein Deutsches Burgenmuseum Veste Heldburg e. V.

Director

Vanessa Schmitt (wissenschaftliche Leitung), Björn Chilian (Geschäftsführung)

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• 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

All exhibition levels are reachable by elevator, but the tower is not; of the rest of the castle grounds, only the castle courtyard is accessible. Two car parking spaces for people with disabilities in the castle courtyard (access via the north gate) by advance registration at +49 36871 21210; regular museum entrance via the south gate.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area
• Kids’ birthday parties

Free parent-child room with baby changing table, nursing corner, microwave, and play corner; all levels reachable by elevator with a stroller. Interactive stations in the exhibition, hands-on tours, and children's birthday parties (from age 8, up to 12 children). Children under 6 have free admission.

Getting there & parking

Navigation address: Burgstraße 1, 98663 Heldburg. Access including via the A71 (exit Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale), the A73 (exits Eisfeld Süd, Coburg-Nord, or Breitengüßbach Mitte), or the B303.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant
• Museum shop

Castle restaurant HELENE (since April 2023) with about 40 seats inside and 60 on the terrace; castle shop with books, souvenirs, and games; free parent-child room.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Weddings / ceremonies

Rooms at Veste Heldburg are rented out by the castle administration of the Stiftung Thüringer Schlösser und Gärten (tel. +49 36871 30330, schlossverwaltung@vesteheldburg.de). Weddings at the castle are arranged by the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Heldburger Unterland. The castle restaurant offers a dining room and terrace for celebrations.

Plan your visit