Keramion

About the museum

The Keramion was founded in 1971 by the Frechen stoneware entrepreneur Dr. Gottfried Cremer as a private museum for contemporary ceramics. The building was designed by the Cologne architect Peter Neufert together with the structural engineer Stefan Polónyi: a round, freely curving concrete shell 32 meters in diameter that resembles a potter's wheel. The building has been a listed monument since 2002.

The Frechener Keramikpreis (from 1972) and the Frechener Töpfermarkt (from 1976) emerged from the museum's circle. In 1992 a sculpture park was added. In parallel, the town of Frechen displayed its historic holdings in a separate ceramics museum from 1985.

In 2002 the private museum and the municipal collection were merged into the foundation KERAMION – Zentrum für moderne + historische Keramik. In 2012 an accessible pavilion for museum education was built.

The centerpiece is the Cremer collection with more than 5,000 works by over 500 ceramic artists, including Hans Coper, Lucie Rie, and Beate Kuhn. As a long-term loan from the town, the Rhenish ceramic cultural heritage complements the holdings – with Frechen Bartmann jugs, earthenware, and architectural ceramics.

Highlights

• Round building shaped like a potter's wheel by Peter Neufert (1971)
• Cremer collection with over 5,000 works of modern ceramics
• Frechen Bartmann jugs of the 16th to 19th centuries
• Sculpture garden and annual Frechener Töpfermarkt (potters' market)
• Workshops in the Studio Keramion

Permanent exhibitions

• Sammlung Cremer – Modern and contemporary ceramic art from Europe, including works by Hans Coper, Lucie Rie, and Beate Kuhn.
• Rheinisches keramisches Kulturerbe – Historic Frechen ceramics from Bartmann jugs through painted earthenware to the architectural ceramics of the 1920s.

Founded

1971

Operated by

Stiftung KERAMION – Zentrum für moderne + historische Keramik

Director

Christine Otto, Klaus Gutowski

Admission & discounts

Free admission for members of the Freundeskreis (friends' circle).

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Entrance via a gently sloping ramp; the first floor is wheelchair-accessible, the basement can only be reached via stairs. Accessible restroom in the pavilion.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Kids’ birthday parties

Children's tours (60 minutes, up to 10 children) and kids' workshops with clay; children's birthday parties from age 8 (2.5 hours, up to 10 children, €280 including materials). Admission free up to age 16.

Getting there & parking

By car via the A 1, exit Frechen, then via the B 264 (Holzstraße).

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop
• Coat check

Museum shop with unique ceramic pieces, editions, replicas of Bartmann jugs, and specialist literature. Food and drinks are not allowed in the museum.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Rooms for lectures, meetings, corporate events, celebrations, and photo and film shoots; pavilion (40 m²) for conferences. Inquiries preferably twelve months in advance.

Plan your visit