Münter-Haus in Murnau

About the museum

Gabriele Münter bought the house on Kottmüllerallee in August 1909. Until the outbreak of war in 1914 she often stayed there together with Wassily Kandinsky; the two furnished it together, laid out the garden and painted furniture to their own designs. In Murnau the property was known as the "Russenhaus" (Russian House) because of the Russian painter. The house, the garden and the view of the church, castle and mountain range became recurring motifs, and Kandinsky's painting moved here toward abstraction.

At the same time, the house was a meeting place for the avant-garde. In October 1911, Münter, Kandinsky, Franz and Maria Marc, and August and Elisabeth Macke discussed the almanac "Der Blaue Reiter" (The Blue Rider) here; Jawlensky, Werefkin and Schönberg also came to visit.

After years in exile in Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark, Münter lived in Murnau again from 1931, and from 1936 with the art historian Johannes Eichner. In the cellar she stored works by Kandinsky and other artists and so rescued them through the Nazi era; in 1957 she gave large parts of them to the Lenbachhaus in Munich. After the renovation of 1998/99 the house was restored to its state from 1909 to 1914. It displays paintings, prints, reverse glass paintings (Hinterglasbilder), collected folk art and the furniture Münter painted herself, and is cared for by the Gabriele Münter- und Johannes Eichner-Stiftung (foundation).

Highlights

• Original furnished home of Münter and Kandinsky in its 1909–1914 state
• Self-painted furniture and collected folk art
• Paintings, prints and reverse glass paintings by Münter and Kandinsky
• Place where the almanac "Der Blaue Reiter" (1911) was prepared
• Garden laid out by Kandinsky himself

Permanent exhibition

• Das Münter-Haus als Erinnerungsort – The house is furnished as it was between 1909 and 1914, with the paintings, furniture and folk art that surrounded Münter and Kandinsky.

Operated by

Gabriele Münter- und Johannes Eichner-Stiftung

Admission & discounts

Admission €4 for persons aged 18 and over. Filming is possible after registration (€250 for 4 hours, each additional hour €50).

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Lockers

There are only a limited number of small lockers.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit