Grafschaftsmuseum Wertheim und Otto-Modersohn-Kabinett
Regional museum in Wertheim's old town on 900 years of county history, with a doll collection and paintings by Otto Modersohn.
About the museum
The museum's roots go back to 1878, when Wertheim first called for donations of writings and pictures on the town's history for a municipal collection. From 1886 it was housed as the "Altertumshalle" (antiquities hall) in the Kilianskapelle, and from 1904 it was looked after by the newly founded Historischer Verein Alt-Wertheim. In 1915 the association bought the Haus zu den Vier Gekrönten in order to display the growing holdings.
After the Second World War, a contemporary presentation was sought for a long time. In 1981 a museum opened in the former Catholic court residence, and in 1988 the collection moved to the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall). The house was reopened in 1989, was given the name Grafschaftsmuseum in 1993, and in 1999 was connected by a glass bridge to the restored Haus zu den Vier Gekrönten.
The winding building complex of the Altes Rathaus, Vierherrenhof, Rankenhof, the Blaues Haus, and the Haus zu den Vier Gekrönten dates partly from the 14th and 15th centuries. The departments range from the castle and the town on the Main and Tauber to rural clothing, blueprint, silhouette cutting, and a large doll collection, through to decorative arts, coins, denominational history, and Jewish life in Wertheim. In the Modersohn Hall hang views of Wertheim and Franconia that Otto Modersohn and his wife Louise Modersohn-Breling painted on their travels in the 1920s.
Highlights
- Modersohn Hall with views of Wertheim and Franconia by Otto Modersohn and Louise Modersohn-Breling
- Porcelain-head dolls, dollhouses, and toy shops in "Kinderland – Zauberland"
- Caricatures by the brothers August and Josef Futterer
- Detailed model of Wertheim Castle before its destruction
- Jewish department in the Haus zu den Vier Gekrönten
- Historic vaulted wine cellar
Permanent exhibitions
- Modersohn in Wertheim – In the festive Modersohn Hall, paintings are on view that Otto Modersohn and Louise Modersohn-Breling created during their stays in Wertheim and Franconia. A brochure leads to the painting motifs in the old town.
- Kinderland – Zauberland – Porcelain-head dolls of the 19th and 20th centuries show the path from the elegant fashion doll to the character baby, supplemented by dollhouses, doll kitchens, and toy shops.
- Jüdische Abteilung im Haus zu den Vier Gekrönten – The department documents Jewish life in Wertheim from the Middle Ages to 1940.
- Founded
- 1989
- Director
- Stefanie Arz
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3Holders of the guest card, people with a severe disability, students, and people entitled to social assistance |
| Children & teens | €2.50The age limit for the children's price is not stated. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €3Reduced admission for people with a severe disability. |
| Students & apprentices | €3 |
| Groups | –Guided tours for 12 or more people €50 flat rate, for smaller groups €4 per person, each plus admission. |
Museum education activities for school classes cost €2 per pupil plus admission. The activity "Heute machen wir blau" (Today We Go Blue) with blueprint printing costs €5 for pupils and €6.50 for adults.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- 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
An elevator serves all three levels of the main building, and the special exhibitions are accessible without barriers. The Haus zu den Vier Gekrönten and the wine cellar are accessible only via stairs.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Kids’ birthday parties
Museum education programs for kindergartens and school classes (fire making, silhouette cutting, magic lantern, optical toys, castle and knights). The activity "Heute machen wir blau" with a tour and blueprint printing or paper crafts (1.5–2.5 hours) can also be booked for families and children's birthday parties in small groups of up to 12 people.
Getting there & parking
By car
Free parking
Free parking lot Untere Leberklinge/Messeplatz (all day); paid parking is available at the Tauber, Main (Mainplatz), and Packhofstraße parking lots as well as in the Parkgarage Altstadt. According to the museum, it is a 5 to 10 minute walk from the parking lots.
The museum is located in the middle of the old town; bicycles can be parked in the museum courtyard.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Museum shop (also online). Wine tastings in the historic wine cellar by arrangement.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Tours through the whole house or on themes such as Jewish life in Wertheim, denominational history, rural clothing, Modersohn, the Futterer brothers, or the doll collection by arrangement, most easily by email. On the first Thursday of every month, the museum offers, after registration by phone, a consultation hour for appraising art and flea-market objects (admission only). |
