Art museum in Schweinfurt with the most important private collection of German painting and drawing from 1760 to 1930, including the largest Spitzweg collection.
June 27, 2026 – January 17, 2027
This extended show juxtaposes works by the Munich Secessionist Carl Piepho, including previously unknown pictures from his estate, with works by German and French contemporaries.
October 11, 2026 – January 10, 2027
Paintings, drawings, and photographs show play in the 19th century – from children's games to sports, card games, and satire; plus a free hands-on museum.
February 21, 2027 – May 30, 2027
Joint exhibition with the Martin von Wagner-Museum Würzburg on Rome as a meeting place and network for German-speaking artists between 1790 and 1900.
Starting in the 1950s, the Schweinfurt industrialist Georg Schäfer (1896–1975), head of the rolling-bearing manufacturer FAG Kugelfischer, assembled an extensive collection of 19th-century German art. Many works were already on loan to major museums during his lifetime; plans for a museum of his own, including a design by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, were never realized.
After his death, his heirs placed the core of the collection – around 1,000 paintings and more than 4,600 drawings – in a foundation in 1997. The Free State of Bavaria used proceeds from privatizations to finance a new building, designed by the Berlin architect Volker Staab, in Schweinfurt's city center near the Main River. The museum opened on September 23, 2000, and its architecture also attracted international attention.
The holdings have since grown through further endowments in 2005, 2016, and 2017 as well as long-term loans. The museum is operated by the city of Schweinfurt, and Wolf Eiermann has been its director since 2015.
The permanent collection spans late Rococo, Romanticism, Biedermeier, and Realism through to Impressionism. Particularly extensive are the groups of works by Carl Spitzweg, Caspar David Friedrich, Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller, and Adolph Menzel. Temporary exhibitions focus on themes and artists of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Visitors with a severe disability and groups of 10 or more |
| Children & teens | €3free up to age 6 · Free up to age 6, ages 7–16 €3. |
| Seniors | –No dedicated senior discount listed; ask at the ticket desk about other discounts. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €5companion free · With special exhibition, reduced from €7. |
| Students & apprentices | €3School and university students; school students visiting as a class €1. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €5 per personReduced price for groups of 10 or more (from €7 with special exhibition). Maximum 25 people per tour group; no outside groups on the first Tuesday of the month. |
| Families | €12With special exhibition from €18 (two adults; children up to 16 free). |
| Combination ticket special exhibition + collection | €9€9–15 depending on the exhibition, reduced from €7; "Playtime" €10, reduced €8. |
| Annual pass | €35Reduced €30. |
| Audio guide for the permanent collection | €2.50German and English. |
Free admission: Free admission to the entire museum on the first Tuesday of every month
The €6 price applies to the permanent collection when no special exhibition is on; during special exhibitions admission rises (from €9 to €15). Online tickets are valid for the entire day of the visit.
Access via ramp or elevator (ring the "Behindertenzugang" (accessible entrance) bell at the administration entrance or call the ticket desk: 09721 51-4825). The entrance doors are heavy. Elevator to all levels; the first floor and exhibition levels 2 and 3 are largely accessible, with pictures hung low. Loaner wheelchair on request, two accessible restrooms, accessible parking spaces in the underground parking. Texts and guided tours in Easy Language, hearing amplifiers at the ticket desk.
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 6 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €12 · With special exhibition from €18 (two adults; children up to 16 free). |
Workshops and dialogue-based tours for children and teens, "Kunst für Kinder" (art for kids) on Sundays, holiday workshops, and birthday programs; each year, for a few months, a children's museum for painting and experimenting (during the "Playtime" exhibition as a free hands-on museum). Elevator for strollers and stroller parking available; when it is very busy, access with strollers may be regulated or a loaner stroller offered.
Museum Georg Schäfer
From the main train station, bus 100 to "Museum Georg Schäfer"; from Schweinfurt Mitte or Schweinfurt Stadt stations, walk along the Main River to the Maxbrücke bridge. The Marktplatz bus stop at the town hall is nearby.
Paid parking
Paid public parking garage P2 (Brückenstraße) directly in the building, with accessible parking spaces and an elevator. Tour buses park at the Wehranlagen.
Museum café "Pictura" with an art bookshop (Tue 11:00–18:00, Wed–Sun 11:00–17:00). Jackets and larger bags must be left at the coat check.
Foyer, lecture hall (with Wi-Fi), museum education room, and panoramic terrace for receptions, conferences, celebrations, and weddings; catering by Café Pictura, can be combined with guided tours.
Inquiries & details| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, EN) |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography without flash or tripod; commercial photography only with permission from the museum management. |
| Good to know | Guided tours (60 min. €60, 90 min. €90, plus admission, max. 25 people) can be booked at 09721 51-4830; tours for school classes and workshops via the art education department. |
Cookies help you use this website. We only load the map and statistics with your consent.
