Museum in Kassel on dying, death, burial, mourning and remembrance – with objects from the Middle Ages to today and changing special exhibitions.
May 6, 2026 – April 4, 2027
The exhibition explores the relationship between humans and animals in life and in death and shows how people can say goodbye to their pets – with interviews, objects, dioramas and artistic contributions.
The museum is run by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Friedhof und Denkmal, an association dedicated to researching and communicating cemetery and funeral culture, which also operates as the Stiftung Zentralinstitut für Sepulkralkultur (Central Institute for Sepulchral Culture foundation). This work gave rise to a specialized museum of cultural history in Kassel, opened in 1992 on Weinbergstraße and devoted to the themes of dying, death, burial, mourning and remembrance.
The building combines the listed carriage house of the former villa of the industrialist Henschel family with a light-filled new building by the architect Wilhelm Kücker. On three and a half levels, it offers exhibition rooms, an event area, a museum shop, a cafeteria with a covered courtyard and a terrace overlooking the city. The museum also includes a public specialist library and an extensive graphic arts collection.
The permanent display draws on some 25,000 objects, mostly from the Christian Western tradition: from coffins, hearses and grave markers to mourning jewelry and memento mori depictions to ritual objects from other religions and cultures. Changing special exhibitions take up current questions around farewell and grief. The museum was long directed by Reiner Sörries; Dirk Pörschmann has been director since 2018.
Due to moisture damage and outdated building systems, the Kücker building needs a thorough renovation. The federal government, the state of Hesse and the city of Kassel have pledged funding of around €20 million; renovation and a redesign of the permanent exhibition are to begin in 2027, with reopening planned for 2030.
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Children and young people ages 6 to 18, school students and vocational school students, confirmation candidates, university students, Federal Volunteer Service participants, job seekers, BBK members, members of the Deutsche Exlibris-Gesellschaft, people with severe disabilities (degree of disability 80 or higher) as well as holders of the GEOcard, KasselCard, Kur Karte Kassel, WBG-KulturCard or Danke-Karte for volunteers |
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 5 · Children under 6 free, reduced admission from 6 to 18. |
| Seniors | –No senior discount listed. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €5companion free · Concession from a degree of disability of 80; companion free. |
| Students & apprentices | €5Students of the University of Kassel, CVJM-Hochschule Kassel and the Hessische Hochschule für öffentliches Management get free admission. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €5 per personGroups of 10 or more €5, reduced €3 per person (also for guided tours). Guided tours for max. 20 people (school classes up to 25) with registration: Tue–Fri 60 min. €60, 90 min. €90; on weekends and public holidays €75 or €100; reduced (including school classes, confirmation groups) €30/€45 or €47.50/€71.50. Digital tour €75 (Tue–Fri) or €90 (weekend). |
| Families | €14For a maximum of 2 adults with children up to 18. |
| Annual pass | €35reduced €25 |
| Family annual pass | €70 |
Free admission: Free admission for everyone every first Wednesday of the month from 17:00 to 20:00.
Free admission also for members of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Friedhof und Denkmal, holders of ICOM and Museumsbund cards, tour guides with a BVGD card, journalists with a press card and refugees. The public guided tour on Wednesdays at 17:00 costs only the admission fee.
Open architecture and a spacious elevator to all exhibition levels; wheelchair-accessible restrooms in the basement. The museum describes a visit as having few barriers; programs for people with visual or hearing impairments on request.
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €14 · For a maximum of 2 adults with children up to 18. |
Museum afternoons for daycare and elementary school children with a tour and crafts, children's birthday parties for ages 6 and up (about 3 hours, e.g., pirate or ghost themes), and occasional children's events.
Rathaus/Fünffensterstraße
Rathaus/Fünffensterstraße tram stop (including RegioTram RT5 from the main station), from there a few minutes' walk via Wilhelmshöher Allee to Weinbergstraße.
Self-service cafeteria in the covered courtyard and on the terrace with a view over Kassel, accessible free of charge even without a museum visit. Museum shop with publications, specialist literature, and design objects.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Public guided tour every Wednesday at 17:00; private tours, digital tours and programs for schools, confirmation groups and professional training by registration. Public specialist library by appointment. |
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