One of the oldest museums in Europe (1754): Old Masters such as Vermeer and Rembrandt, a cabinet of curiosities, the Brunswick Lion and decorative arts from 3,000 years.
September 19, 2026 – November 29, 2026
In memory of the Braunschweig artist who died in 2026, the museum is showing for the first time ink drawings from his student years in which he processes his experiences of war as a child.
December 4, 2026 – April 4, 2027
Together with the Staatliches Naturhistorisches Museum and the HBK Braunschweig (Braunschweig University of Art), the museum places nature studies and curiosities from 1500 to 1900 alongside taxidermy specimens, watercolors by Astrid Köppe and new prints by students.
In 1754 Duke Charles I of Brunswick-Lüneburg opened the “Herzogliches Kunst- und Naturalienkabinett” (Ducal Cabinet of Art and Natural History) to the public, creating one of the first public museums in Europe. The museum is named after Charles's predecessor Duke Anton Ulrich, a passionate collector to whom the core of the Baroque holdings goes back; his picture gallery was housed in the pleasure palace of Salzdahlum.
After the occupation by Napoleonic troops in 1806, many major works were taken to Paris and only returned after the Wars of Liberation. In the 19th century the natural history holdings were separated; they became today's Staatliches Naturhistorisches Museum. In 1887 the art collections moved into the museum building on Museumstraße designed by Oskar Sommer in the style of the Italian Renaissance. The museum has borne its current name since 1927, and after World War II the state of Lower Saxony took over responsibility for it.
From 2008 an extension for the department of prints and drawings, the library, workshops and administration was built in the Museumpark, after which the old building was gutted and thoroughly renovated. Since reopening on October 23, 2016, the museum has displayed around 4,000 works from three millennia on about 4,000 square meters, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer and Giorgione, sculpture, porcelain, maiolica and East Asian art; the entire collection comprises around 190,000 objects.
The medieval collection was long exhibited in Burg Dankwarderode. Because the building has serious structural defects, it is closed, and the top pieces such as the Brunswick Lion have moved to the main building. The state and the city aim to make the castle usable again by the city's 1,000th anniversary in 2031. The museum is part of the 3Landesmuseen Braunschweig group.
| Adults | €9 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €7School and university students, trainees, the unemployed, people doing federal voluntary service, people with severe disabilities with a disability rating (GdB) of 50 or more, groups of 10 or more, and holders of the Braunschweig-Pass, Ehrenamtskarte Niedersachsen (volunteer card), artCard and MuseumsCard Braunschweig (from the 2nd visit) |
| Children & teens | €2free up to age 5 · Children under 6 free, children and teens aged 6 to 17 €2. |
| Seniors | –No senior discount listed. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €7companion free · Reduced admission with a disability rating (GdB) of 50 or more; one companion of a severely disabled person who requires assistance is admitted free. |
| Students & apprentices | €7Reduced admission for school and university students and trainees; students of the HBK Braunschweig admitted free. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €7 per personGroups of 10 or more pay reduced admission. Themed guided tours for groups of up to 20: 60 min €50, 90 min €75, plus reduced admission; book at least 14 days in advance. Learning groups and their accompanying adults are admitted free. |
| Families | €18Family ticket II for 2 adults and up to 3 children; family ticket I (1 adult and up to 3 children) €11. |
Annual pass €30, family annual pass €60 (1 adult) or €75 (2 adults), each with up to 3 children; annual pass for all 3Landesmuseen Braunschweig €60. Combination with the Staatstheater Braunschweig: with a theater ticket from the same day or the day before, reduced museum admission applies (and vice versa, 15% off theater tickets). Free admission including for members of the friends' association, ICOM, the Deutscher Museumsbund and the Museumsverband Niedersachsen und Bremen, and with the MuseumsCard Braunschweig on the first visit; special events such as the Museum Night are excluded. No online ticket shop on the website.
According to the museum, the main building is accessible; all exhibition rooms can be reached by elevator. Burg Dankwarderode (currently closed) is not accessible. Assistance dogs are allowed on presentation of an ID at the information desk. There is no dedicated parking. Inclusive storytelling projects (TimeSlips) in front of paintings for people with dementia and with learning disabilities.
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €18 · Family ticket II for 2 adults and up to 3 children; family ticket I (1 adult and up to 3 children) €11. |
Children's birthday parties with changing themes (depending on the theme for ages 5, 7 or 8 and up, 90–120 min), the children's club “HAUMi-Club” and “Baby-Barock”, a 45-minute tour for parents with babies (baby carrier/wrap recommended). Strollers can be parked in the museum, and there is a baby changing area. More family events in the quarterly program.
Museumstraße
Tram 4 and 5 and bus 412 and 413 to “Museumstraße”; bus 230, 411, 413, 416, 422 and 423 to “Staatstheater”; tram 1, 2, 3, 4 and 10 to “Rathaus” (a few minutes' walk).
Parking available
No museum parking; nearby parking garages Magni (Mon–Sat), Wilhelmstraße (daily) and Schloss-Arkaden (also on Sundays).
Café + Bistro Anton's with a terrace facing the Museumpark (breakfast, lunch, cake; Tue–Fri 9:00–18:00, Sat/Sun 10:00–18:00). Museum shop. Jackets and bags are not allowed in the exhibition rooms; cloakroom lockers on the ground floor (€2 coin). Free Wi-Fi (Telekom_free, three hours).
No rental offer is listed on the website. According to the museum, since the renovation the building has an event room of about 250 m².
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, EN) |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Generally allowed in the permanent exhibitions, but without flash, tripod or selfie stick, keeping at least 1.5 m from the artworks and using only the existing lighting. |
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