March 21, 2026 – October 11, 2026
Hermann Hesse – Bereit zum Aufbruch
More than 130 watercolors, ink drawings and illustrated poems present the Nobel Prize-winning author as a painter.
Kunsthalle Messmer
Private art museum in a converted brewery in Riegel am Kaiserstuhl: temporary exhibitions on modern art, the André Evard collection and a sculpture garden.
Opening hoursAdmission from €15 Wheelchair accessible Café
Current exhibitions
October 17, 2026 – April 18, 2027
André Evard – Die Sprache der Farbe
Retrospective marking the 150th birthday of the Swiss artist, with more than 100 works ranging from Art Nouveau through still lifes and landscapes to abstraction, complemented by contemporaries such as Klee, Baumeister and Heckel.
About the museum
The Kunsthalle was founded by the entrepreneur and art collector Jürgen A. Messmer, who in 2005 established a foundation in memory of his daughter Petra, who died young; it became the messmer foundation in 2006. As its exhibition venue, the foundation chose the disused Riegel brewery, a 19th-century industrial building at the confluence of the Dreisam, Elz and Glotter rivers, which was converted into a museum.
On June 20, 2009, the Kunsthalle opened with a tribute to the Swiss painter André Evard (1876–1972), regarded as a pioneer of concrete-constructivist art. According to the foundation, it owns the world's largest Evard collection; the holdings also include works of classical modernism and contemporary art, among them pieces by Picasso, Dalí, Braque, Miró and Vasarely.
On around 900 square meters, the museum presents several temporary exhibitions a year that combine works from the collection with loans from international private and museum collections, alternating between big names of modern art and crowd favorites. A sculpture garden on the Leopoldskanal complements the indoor spaces. Since 2010, the foundation has awarded the international André Evard Prize for concrete-constructivist art, endowed with €10,000. According to the museum, around one million visitors came in its first 15 years. The Kunsthalle is now directed by Lea Qin Messmer.
Highlights
- The world's largest collection of works by André Evard
- Temporary exhibitions on 20th- and 21st-century art
- Converted 19th-century Riegel brewery with a historic columned hall
- Sculpture garden overlooking the Leopoldskanal
- International André Evard Prize for concrete-constructivist art
Permanent exhibitions
- Skulpturengarten – Sculptures in the outdoor area of the Kunsthalle on the banks of the Leopoldskanal.
- Founded
- 2009
- Operated by
- messmer foundation
- Director
- Lea Qin Messmer
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €15 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €13.50Students, people with severe disabilities, social welfare recipients, groups of 15 or more, members of IAA and ICOM, holders of the Museums-PASS-Musées, holders of a bwtarif ticket |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 8 · Children up to age 8 free |
| Seniors | –No senior discount listed |
| Visitors with disabilities | €13.50 |
| Students & apprentices | €13.50 |
| Groups (15+ people) | €13.50 per personReduced admission for groups of 15 or more |
| Families | €302 adults with children up to age 17 |
| School class including guided tour | €88Total price for up to 25 students, 3 teachers free |
| Public Sunday guided tour (45 min) | €8Plus admission; Sundays at 14:30 |
| Short tour on the 2nd Wednesday of the month (30 min) | €8Free admission on this date; 16:00 |
| Private guided tour (up to 20 people) | €115Flat rate Tue–Sat 10:00–17:00 plus admission; after 17:00 and on public holidays €145 |
Members of the friends' association free. The Upper Rhine Museums-PASS is available at the ticket desk (valid for one year, includes up to 5 children under 18).
Accessibility
- 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
According to the Kunsthalle, all public areas are accessible; elevator available, ground-level parking right next to the building.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Riegel Rathaus · 5-min walk
Riegel-Malterdingen station (Freiburg–Offenburg line), from there about 1.2 km on foot or 3 minutes by SWEG bus 102/103 to Riegel Rathaus.
By car
Free parking
Ample free car and bus parking at Großherzog-Leopold-Platz; signposted free overflow parking lot about 200 m away.
A5 Karlsruhe–Basel, exit 59 Riegel, then follow the signs about 1 km toward the town center. GPS: Großherzog-Leopold-Platz 1, 79359 Riegel am Kaiserstuhl.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Café Evard (Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00, also without museum admission, with a terrace by the sculpture garden in summer). Museum shop with catalogs, books, wine, and stationery.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
Up to 100 guests.
Historic columned hall "Evard" (160 m², seating for up to 100 people), foyer with café area (approx. 30 seats) and terrace; guided tour, champagne reception or catering available on request. Prices on request.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 45 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Public tours with a minimum number of participants and registration: Sundays about 45 minutes, on the second Wednesday of the month about 30 minutes. Private tours (30–40 minutes) can be booked for up to 20 people. |
