Deutsches Versicherungsmuseum Ernst Wilhelm Arnoldi

About the museum

Gotha is considered one of the birthplaces of modern German insurance: merchant Ernst Wilhelm Arnoldi (1778–1841) founded the Gothaer Feuerversicherungsbank (fire insurance bank) here in 1820 and the Lebensversicherungsbank (life insurance bank) in 1827, both based on the principle of mutuality. He introduced statistics, probability calculation and medical examinations as the basis of life insurance and gave policyholders a share in the surplus.

The building at Bahnhofstraße 3a was erected in 1893/94 to a design by Bruno Eelbo as the headquarters of the life insurance bank. After 1946 the bank had to relocate to Göttingen, and the building was used by the Staatliche Versicherung der DDR (East German state insurance). After it was bought back by Gothaer Versicherungen, the Museum der deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft (Museum of the German Insurance Industry) opened there in 1998; it closed again in 2006, and most of its holdings went to the group's headquarters in Cologne.

Since 2009 a friends' association founded that same year has run the "Deutsches Versicherungsmuseum Ernst Wilhelm Arnoldi" in the former executive and boardrooms, in a building that now houses the Thuringian Finance Court and the Gotha Social Court. Volunteer museum guides present documents, photographs, fire insurance plaques and material on figures from Gotha's insurance history, including collections of savings clocks and pennants as well as exhibits on the East German state insurance.

Highlights

• Historic boardrooms of the Gothaer Lebensversicherungsbank
• Life and work of Ernst Wilhelm Arnoldi
• Fire insurance plaques and documents on the Great Fire of Hamburg in 1842
• Staatliche Versicherung der DDR (East German state insurance)
• Collection of savings clocks

Permanent exhibitions

• Gotha als Wiege des deutschen Versicherungswesens – Exhibition in the historic executive rooms on the origins of fire and life insurance in Gotha and on their founder, Ernst Wilhelm Arnoldi.

Founded

2009

Operated by

Förderverein „Deutsches Versicherungsmuseum Ernst Wilhelm Arnoldi“ e. V.

Director

Horst Gröner (Vorsitzender des Fördervereins und Museumsleiter)

Admission & discounts

Regular admission does not include a guided tour; the attendant is happy to answer questions.

Accessibility

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

Kids & families

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

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

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

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit