Kreismuseum Prinzeßhof
District museum in the oldest secular building in Itzehoe, a 16th-century town palace, with regional history, everyday culture, and art from the Steinburg district.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Prinzeßhof dates back to 1556, when a vassal of the noble Itzehoe Convent resided here in a two-story town palace. It is considered the oldest building in town that did not serve ecclesiastical purposes, and it survived the Thirty Years' War as well as the great fire of 1657. Later owners expanded it with Baroque components and, in 1744 and 1753, with side wings. From 1810, the abbesses of the convent lived here and gave the house its name; the Classicist ballroom on the upper floor dates from that time.
The district museum was founded in 1938 for Itzehoe's town anniversary and moved several times over the decades, including in 1960 to the residence of the artist couple Hablik-Lindemann. After extensive renovation and reopening in 1988, it has been led by a full-time academic director. In 2014, a friends' association was founded. After a long conversion phase with energy-efficient renovation, the house reopened in June 2022.
The collection is devoted to the history, art, and culture of the Steinburg district: everyday objects of the 19th and 20th centuries, evidence of regional industry such as the Alsen cement factory and a sugar factory, works by regional artists, and archaeological finds. The grounds of the house are open to the public.
Highlights
- Oldest secular building in Itzehoe, with a Classicist ballroom
- Everyday culture of the 19th and 20th centuries
- Industrial history: cement factory, sugar factory, C.C. von Holstein
- Art by Wenzel Hablik and other artists from the region
- Archaeological finds from the Steinburg district
- Public park with steel sculptures by Anthony Newsom
- Founded
- 1938
- Operated by
- Kreis Steinburg
- Director
- Esther Wrobbel
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2Schoolchildren, students, conscripts doing basic military service, civilian service workers, severely disabled persons, unemployed persons, and holders of social passes |
| Children & teens | €2free up to age 5 · Children from age 6 pay the reduced rate. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €2Severely disabled persons are included in the reduced rates. |
| Students & apprentices | €2 |
| Groups (10+ people) | €2.50 per personChildren and reduced rates €1.50 |
| Families | €82 adults with children |
| Guided tour (German, flat rate) | €35 |
| Guided tour (English, flat rate) | €45 |
| Guided tour for school classes (flat rate) | €20 |
| Admission, guided tour, and coffee and cake in the lecture hall (from 10 people, per person) | €12 |
| Annual pass, adults | €15 |
| Annual pass, children and reduced rates | €10 |
| Annual pass, family | €35 |
| Children's birthday party (up to 10 children; each additional child €8) | €80 |
Groups of 10 or more people pay €2.50 (adults) or €1.50 (children and reduced rates) per person. For school classes and kindergarten groups, two accompanying adults are free. Free admission for members of the Friends' Association, the Museumsverband SH/HH, the German Museums Association, ICOM, the Verband deutscher Kunsthistoriker (association of German art historians), and the Gesellschaft für Volkskunde in Schleswig-Holstein (society for folklore), as well as for holders of the Museumscard (except at special events).
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- 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
Listed building, only partly barrier-free: steps at the entrance with a handrail.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €8 · 2 adults with children |
- Family tours & workshops
- Kids’ birthday parties
Children under 6 have free admission, and there is a family ticket. Birthday parties for up to 10 children; workshops for school classes.
Getting there & parking
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The museum has no parking spaces of its own; a parking garage is a two-minute walk away.
Amenities & dining
For groups of 10 or more people, coffee and cake in the lecture hall can be booked.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours available in German and English. School programs: "Schreiben wie früher" (writing like in the old days, Sütterlin script, from grade 4), a slime workshop (from grade 1), and "Industrialisierung im Kreis Steinburg" (industrialization in the Steinburg district, grades 5 to 13), each by registration. |
