Heimat- und Keramikmuseum Kandern
City museum in a 16th-century stepped-gable house on Kandern's pottery tradition, with art ceramics by Max Laeuger and designs by August Macke.
About the museum
The foundation of the collection was laid by the teacher Karl Herbster, who taught in Kandern from 1905. Together with the trade association he set up a first antiquities room in 1910, followed by exhibitions in the old schoolhouse and in the town hall room. In 1936 the municipality provided a house on the market square in which a museum opened for the first time. After the Second World War the building was used for other purposes, and the relocated collection suffered losses.
For the town's 1,200th anniversary in 1976, the museum found a new home in a stepped-gable house from the 16th century on Ziegelstraße, near the Protestant church. The town of Kandern is the owner of the house, and a friends' association supports the work.
The focus is pottery: thanks to rich clay deposits, Kandern is regarded as one of the most important potter towns in southwestern Germany, with over thirty workshops in the 19th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, Max Laeuger brought Art Nouveau to Kandern with his art pottery; later Richard Bampi and Horst Kerstan shaped modern ceramics. Also on display are ceramic designs and a painting by August Macke, who visited Kandern several times, as well as stove tiles, bricks, cast iron, historic clarinets, and mementos of the Baden Revolution of 1848.
Highlights
- Art ceramics by Max Laeuger, Richard Bampi, and Horst Kerstan
- August Macke's painting "Boy on the Flat Roof in Kandern" (1907) and his ceramic designs
- Potter's ware from the late Middle Ages to the modern era
- Stepped-gable house from the 16th century
- Mementos of the Baden Revolution of 1848
Permanent exhibitions
- Töpferstadt Kandern – The development of the potter's craft in Kandern from the late Middle Ages to today's ceramic workshops.
- Sammlung Max Laeuger – Works by the Art Nouveau ceramicist who worked in Kandern as a pioneer of modern art ceramics, complemented by works by Richard Bampi and Horst Kerstan.
- Auf den Spuren von August Macke – Ceramic designs by the Expressionist and his 1907 oil painting of a boy on a Kandern flat roof.
- Founded
- 1976
- Operated by
- Stadt Kandern
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3 |
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| Children & teens | freefree up to age 16 · Children up to age 16 have free admission. |
Free admission with the SchwarzwaldCard and the Schwarzwald guest card. Only cash is accepted at the museum.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: not available
- 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
The museum is not accessible: the exhibition is spread over three floors, which can only be reached by a spiral staircase. A few chairs are available in the rooms; staff will help if needed.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 16 |
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- Family tours & workshops
In the summer holidays the museum offers creative workshops for children aged 8 to 12 (registration through the tourist information office).
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Kandern Blumenplatz
Regular bus connections to Kandern; from the stops Busbahnhof and Blumenplatz it is only a few minutes on foot.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
There is no dedicated parking directly at the museum. Parking is available at Marktplatz and Blumenplatz in the town center as well as at the bus station, each a few minutes' walk away.
On Sundays from May to mid-October, the historic steam railway Kandertalbahn runs between Haltingen and Kandern.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | The August-Macke-Rundweg (about one hour, starting at the tourist information office) passes the museum; tours of it are arranged by the Tourist-Information Kandern. |
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