World-famous collection of European painting from the 15th to the 18th century in the Semperbau at Dresden's Zwinger – with Raphael's Sistine Madonna.
September 19, 2026 – January 10, 2027
The first major Correggio retrospective outside Italy, with around a third of his painted oeuvre, drawings and loans from the Louvre, the Prado, the Uffizi and the National Gallery.
September 20, 2026 – January 10, 2027
Companion exhibition curated by young people from the Universitätsschule Dresden, tracing emotions such as anger, grief or hope in works created before 1800.
June 29, 2027 – January 9, 2028
Retrospective with around 100 works marking the 450th birthday of Peter Paul Rubens, starting from the newly restored major works in Dresden and complemented by international loans.
The roots of the Dresden Gemäldegalerie go back to the mid-16th century, when the Electors of Saxony set up a Kunstkammer (cabinet of art and curiosities) and employed court painters such as Lucas Cranach the Elder. The collection only achieved its true standing in the 18th century, however: Augustus the Strong and above all his son Augustus III had paintings acquired in a targeted way all over Europe, including Raphael's Sistine Madonna in 1754 and, before that, an entire group of masterpieces from the collection of the Dukes of Modena.
From 1747, the gallery was open to the public in the converted stable building on Neumarkt. In 1855 it moved into the purpose-built gallery building by Gottfried Semper, which closes off the Baroque Zwinger courtyard on the side facing the Elbe. The Neo-Renaissance building is still regarded as one of the most important museum buildings of the 19th century.
During World War II, the holdings were moved to safe storage and the Semperbau was badly damaged; the Red Army took the rescued paintings to the Soviet Union, from where most returned in 1955. After the reconstruction, a comprehensive general renovation followed from 2013, after which the building fully reopened in February 2020.
Since then, the gallery, part of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, has shown some six centuries of European painting together with works from the Sculpture Collection up to 1800. Its focal points are the Italian Renaissance and Baroque, Dutch and Flemish painting of the 17th century, and early German masters.
| Adults | €18 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €13.50University students and school students aged 20 and over, people with a disability rating (GdB) of 50 or more, recipients of Bürgergeld (basic income support) and social welfare, holders of the Dresden-Pass, Leipzig-Pass, Ehrenamtspass (volunteer pass) and SparkassenCard |
| Children & teens | €2Children free until they start school; school students under 20 pay €2. |
| Seniors | –No senior discount on single tickets; reduced annual pass (€70) with a pensioner's ID. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €13.50companion free · Reduced from a disability rating (GdB) of 50; companion with the “B” marker (companion admitted free) free. |
| Students & apprentices | €13.50Reduced price; students of certain art academies get free admission. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €16 per personGroup price for 10 or more people; accompanying adults of registered groups free. |
| Families | –No family ticket; holders of the Familienpass Sachsen (Saxony family pass) with registered children get free admission. |
Prices apply to the Zwinger museum ticket (Gemäldegalerie, Sculpture Collection up to 1800, Porcelain Collection, Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon). Special exhibition “Correggio”: timed ticket €14 / reduced €10.50; combined ticket with all exhibition areas €23 / reduced €17.50 / school students €4 / groups €20.50. Free admission on your birthday. Annual pass for all SKD museums €95 (reduced €45, university students €25, seniors €70).
Main entrance not accessible; step-free access via Theaterplatz or via an elevator with intercom in the Zwinger courtyard. All floors reachable step-free; three elevators with tactile markings and announcements. Accessible restroom in the basement. Two loan wheelchairs and 35 museum stools. Two accessible parking spaces at the corner of Taschenberg/Sophienstraße. Tours for blind and visually impaired people, with sign language interpretation, in Easy German (Leichte Sprache) and for people with dementia; multimedia guide with audio description.
Great for kids & families
Free discovery tour for children in the multimedia guide, SKD family afternoons and holiday programs, children's birthday parties with a tour and creative activity (approx. 2 hrs, max. 8 children). Nursing and baby changing facilities in the building. Strollers allowed, but entry with one may be refused when it is very crowded; children may not be carried in back carriers or on shoulders.
Theaterplatz
Tram to Theaterplatz (lines 4, 8, 9) or Postplatz (lines including 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12), each a few minutes' walk away
Parking available
No dedicated parking; the SKD refer visitors to various public parking options in the area (City of Dresden parking information system).
“Alte Meister Café & Restaurant” (Theaterplatz 1a) in the Semperbau with a terrace facing Theaterplatz. Free cloakroom and lockers (€1–2 coin deposit), free Wi-Fi “MUSEUM_SKD.”
No information on renting the museum rooms on the website. The Zwinger's outdoor areas and pavilions are rented out by Schlösserland Sachsen (zwinger@schloesserland-sachsen.de).
Inquiries & details| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, EN, RU, CS, PL, IT) |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Allowed in the permanent exhibitions without flash or tripod |
Cookies help you use this website. We only load the map and statistics with your consent.
