Kupfermuseum Fischen

About the museum

The museum is the life's work of the Munich art and antiques dealer Siegfried Kuhnke, who collected copper objects for decades – a material that long stood in the shadow of silver in the art trade. When the planned presentation of his collection in another museum fell through, he decided to show it himself. In 1997 he had acquired a dilapidated, listed manor farm in Fischen on the Ammersee, where an inn has demonstrably existed since 1614, and restored it with his family by 1999.

On March 8, 2006, Siegfried and Evelyn Kuhnke founded the Stiftung Kupfermuseum Kuhnke; in the fall of the same year the museum opened in the converted threshing floor on the upper floor, where within a few weeks the family set up more than a thousand objects on around 500 square meters. The museum is privately financed without government subsidies.

The collection spans from axes of the Copper Age and ancient vessels through gilded medieval church implements to Art Nouveau and Art Deco designs. The focus is on Central European kitchen and table ware of the 17th to 19th centuries, including elaborate baking molds and molds for pies and desserts. Especially notable is the copperware from the court kitchens of the Guelphs, the Habsburgs and the Wittelsbachs: in 2005 Kuhnke acquired holdings from palaces of the royal house of Hanover at auction and had them restored. Since 2023 they have been on view in the redesigned former horse stable, where objects of bronze, brass, pewter and wrought iron were also added. Paintings, prints and sculptures complement the display; in 2026 the museum celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Highlights

• Copperware from the court kitchens of the Guelphs, Habsburgs and Wittelsbachs
• Baking molds and molds for pies, jellies and desserts
• Gilded Gothic sacred implements
• Herrengrund copper works
• Design pieces from Art Nouveau and Art Deco
• Listed manor farm with converted threshing floor

Permanent exhibitions

• Kupfer – Kunst und Gebrauchsgerät durch die Jahrhunderte – In the converted threshing floor, the tour leads from the Copper Age to Art Deco; the focus on cooking, baking, eating and drinking with kitchen utensils and molds has been newly arranged.
• Kupfergeschirr aus europäischen Hofküchen – In the former horse stable, since 2023, hundreds of stamped cooking and baking utensils from palaces of the Guelphs, Habsburgs and Wittelsbachs can be seen, complemented by objects of bronze, brass and pewter.

Founded

2006

Operated by

Stiftung Kupfermuseum Kuhnke

Admission & discounts

€1 discount with the Fünf-Seen-Land-Card; children up to 14 years free with the card.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• 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

The exhibition in the former threshing floor on the second floor is reached from outside via a staircase.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Getting there & parking

Via the A 96 (exit Oberpfaffenhofen-Herrsching, then along the eastern shore of the Ammersee toward Dießen) or the A 95 (exit Starnberg, via Pähl). GPS input: 82396 Pähl. About 50 km from Munich.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop with the catalog "Das Rote Gold" and other illustrated books. The restaurant "Ox_Ammersee" is located in the same manor farm (Wed–Sun from 18:00).

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit