Museum für Neue Kunst

Current exhibitions

About the museum

The Museum für Neue Kunst opened in 1985 as an independent museum of the Städtische Museen Freiburg (municipal museums). Its collection, however, is considerably older: it grew out of the holdings of the Augustinermuseum, founded in 1923, which acquired works by contemporary artists early on. Quite a few of them were confiscated in 1937 as "degenerate art" – a gap the museum makes visible in its collection display today.

The museum is housed in the former Adelhausen girls' school, a Neo-Baroque building from 1902 that the Adelhausenstiftung (Adelhausen Foundation) had converted for museum use in 1984/85. It includes a café and a garden that, as a communally planted museum garden, is also open to the neighborhood.

The collection now comprises more than 12,000 works, including around 3,000 paintings, sculptures, and installations and some 9,000 drawings and prints. Its focus is on artists with ties to the southwest, such as Julius Bissier, August Macke with his stays in Kandern, the sculptor Priska von Martin, and Peter Dreher, from whose series "Tag um Tag guter Tag" (Day by Day Good Day) the museum owns around 500 pictures. A friends' association, active for more than 30 years, supports acquisitions.

Christine Litz has directed the museum since 2012. Changing special exhibitions take up social issues and often rely on participation and inclusion; the Schau_Raum shows video art and is used for readings and performances.

Highlights

• Around 500 paintings of a drinking glass from Peter Dreher's series "Tag um Tag guter Tag"
• Extensive holdings of Julius Bissier from all phases of his career
• Works by August Macke from his time in Kandern
• Sculptures by the Freiburg sculptor Priska von Martin
• Neo-Baroque school building from 1902 with museum garden

Permanent exhibitions

• Sammlungspräsentation: Künstlerin sein! – Self-portraits by women artists such as Eva Eisenlohr, Gretel Haas-Gerber, and Maria Lassnig, complemented by changing contemporary installations.
• Revision. Malerei aus der Sammlung – Paintings acquired between 1923 and 1935; marked gaps recall the works confiscated as "degenerate" in 1937.

Founded

1985

Operated by

Städtische Museen Freiburg

Director

Christine Litz

Visitors per year

approx. 37,189 (2012)

Admission & discounts

Free admission with, among others, the Museums-PASS-Musées, FamilienCard, FreiburgPass, RVF-WelcomeKarte, or a press card, and for members of ICOM, museum associations, and the friends' association.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Wheelchair users need assistance to enter; the restroom can be used without help. Strollers allowed. The Museen Freiburg offer monthly tours with sign language interpretation and for visually impaired people; advice via the booking service.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Stroller-friendly
• Kids’ birthday parties

The Museen Freiburg offer interactive family tours, two-hour family afternoons (ages 5 and up), and the Samstagsmuseum for children. Children's birthday parties, e.g., on the current special exhibition, start at the ticket desk of the Museum für Neue Kunst. Strollers and frameless child carriers are allowed; children under 10 only when accompanied by adults. Free admission under age 27.

Getting there & parking

Take the A 5, exit Freiburg-Mitte, and the B 31a into the city center, then follow the parking guidance system.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available

Café La Terrazza ad Arte with garden (Tue, Wed, Sat, Sun 12:00–17:00, Thu 12:00–19:00, Fri 12:00–21:45). Shared museum garden.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Rooms of the Städtische Museen are rented out after case-by-case review, usually outside opening hours; staff costs are charged additionally.

Plan your visit