Museum im Ritterhaus
Museum of the city of Offenburg in the Ritterhaus of 1784: city history, archaeology of the Ortenau, natural history, and a colonial-era collection.
About the museum
Collecting began in Offenburg as early as 1884. On June 3, 1900, the Museum für Natur- und Völkerkunde (museum of natural history and ethnology) opened in the building of the St. Andreas Hospital, initiated by district secretary Carl Frowin Mayer, with a broad collection ranging from archaeological finds through coins and traditional costumes to ethnographica. Under Ernst Batzer, local history moved into the foreground from 1917, and in 1924 it was renamed Städtische Sammlungen.
In 1958, the museum moved to the Ritterhaus on Ritterstraße. The building, Neoclassical in character, had been built in 1784 for the imperial mayor Franz Georg von Rienecker and later served the Ortenau Imperial Knighthood, as barracks, and as a courthouse; a stair tower with a spiral staircase of red sandstone has been preserved. After a fundamental renewal, the museum reopened in 1989.
From 2011, all permanent exhibitions were redesigned: first the city history, then natural history, archaeology, and the colonial-era collection, and finally, at the end of 2018, the imperial city period. Today the holdings number more than 10,000 objects, and all exhibitions are labeled in German and French. The museum also includes branch sites such as the Mikveh, the Atelierhaus Vollmer, and the Lapidarium.
Highlights
- City history from the imperial city to the economic miracle
- Archaeology of the Ortenau from the Stone Age to the Alemanni
- Family-friendly natural history department "Wald – Land – Fluss" (Forest – Land – River)
- Critically presented colonial-era collection
- Free audio guide in German, French, and English
Permanent exhibitions
- Offenburg in der Welt – 1000 Jahre Stadtgeschichte – Tour through the history of the city from the medieval imperial city to the 20th century, complemented by the section "Offenburg 1848–1970" between revolution and economic miracle.
- Verdammt lang her! Archäologie in der Ortenau – Archaeological finds from the region from the Stone Age to the time of the Alemanni.
- Wald – Land – Fluss – Natural history of the Ortenau, presented around children's questions and especially suitable for families.
- Founded
- 1900
- Operated by
- Stadt Offenburg
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 21 · Free admission up to and including age 21. |
| Groups | –Group tour 60 minutes €60–80, 90 minutes €70–90, each plus reduced admission per person. |
| Combination ticket Museum im Ritterhaus, Salmen, and Städtische Galerie | €12reduced €9; one admission per venue |
| Annual pass | €25Valid for one year from purchase for the Museum im Ritterhaus, Salmen, and Städtische Galerie |
Free admission: every Friday
Free admission also with the Museums-PASS-Musée and the ICOM card.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Access via the redesigned foyer with an elevator; wheelchair-accessible restroom. Tours for blind and visually impaired people.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 21 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Kids’ birthday parties
Over 60 museum education courses for children, daycare centers, and schools as well as children's birthday parties (90 or 120 minutes). The natural history and geology departments start from children's questions and are designed as a family museum. Admission free up to age 21.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Rathaus
City bus lines S2, S3, S6, and S7 to the Rathaus stop.
By car
Paid parking
Paid parking lot at the museum, as well as parking garages in the city center.
Entrance on Gerichtsstraße.
Get directionsAmenities & 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
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, FR, EN) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Free audio guide for all permanent exhibitions and the Mikveh. Group tours (60 or 90 minutes) and museum education programs can be booked Mon–Fri 10:00–12:00 at tel. 0781 82 2460 or museum@offenburg.de. |
