May 3, 2026 – November 8, 2026
Eileen Gray: Golden Girls No. 3
The third part of the series on women in the applied arts: furniture, designs and drawings by the designer and architect, plus a walk-in work by Anna Viebrock about Gray's house E.1027.
Museum Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern
Art museum in Kaiserslautern with painting, sculpture, works on paper and applied arts from the 19th century to today; free admission to the collection.
Opening hoursAdmission from €8 Wheelchair accessible
Current exhibitions
October 24, 2026 – January 31, 2027
Hans Purrmann als Sammler. Vom Glück des Findens
The Palatinate painter's private collection – from Egyptian figures and ancient vases to prints by Dürer, Matisse and Picasso – in dialogue with his own paintings.
November 8, 2026 – February 14, 2027
Madeleine Dietz: Erde, Stahl und Licht
Large-scale sculptures, installations and paintings by the Mannheim artist, made from earth, steel and light.
November 29, 2026 – January 31, 2027
H. A. Schilling: Einfach gedrechselt?
An overview of the work of the master wood turner from Grünstadt, whose vessels of wood, metal and concrete sit between functional objects and fine art.
About the museum
The museum was founded in 1874 as the Pfälzisches Gewerbemuseum (Palatinate Museum of Applied Arts and Trades). Initiated by Paul von Braun, the president of the Palatinate regional government, it was meant to present exemplary models to local craftsmen and industry. Its first director was the architect Carl Spatz, who also designed the Neo-Renaissance building constructed between 1875 and 1880. At first the museum shared the building with the Kreisbaugewerkschule, a school for the building trades, which moved into a new building in 1897.
In 1944, during World War II, the building was badly damaged; the reconstruction lost the splendid interior with its porphyry columns and wall paintings. Since the 1930s the museum has been run by the Bezirksverband Pfalz (Palatinate district association), and over time it changed from a museum of models and patterns into an art museum.
Today the collection comprises around 30,000 works. Its focal points are painting and sculpture from the 19th to the 21st century – from the Munich School through German Impressionism and Expressionism to Art Informel – an extensive collection of prints and drawings, and decorative arts in the spirit of the old applied arts museum. For its 150th anniversary in 2025, the collection was reinstalled in themed tours and has been free to visit ever since.
Highlights
- Works by Slevogt, Liebermann, Corinth, Kirchner and Purrmann
- Neo-Renaissance building by Carl Spatz (1875–1880)
- Extensive collection of prints and drawings
- Decorative arts in the tradition of the applied arts museum
- Collection display with free admission
Permanent exhibitions
- Sammlungspräsentation – Around 300 works of painting, sculpture, prints and drawings, photography and applied arts in themed tours such as “Was ist Kunst?” (What Is Art?) and “Der Mensch in der Kunst” (The Human Being in Art) – with free admission.
- Founded
- 1874
- Operated by
- Bezirksverband Pfalz
- Director
- Steffen Egle
- Visitors per year
- approx. 22,560 (2017)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freeChildren and school students are always free (except at special events). |
| Seniors | –No senior discount listed. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Companions of people with a severe disability and the “B” marker are admitted free. |
| Students & apprentices | freeUniversity students are always free. |
| Groups | –Private group tour for up to 20 people: €60 plus admission; curator's tour €250 plus admission. |
| Cabinet exhibition | €5 |
| Combination ticket (all exhibitions) | €12 |
| Annual pass | €35 |
| Public guided tour | €3Participation fee plus admission for tours of special exhibitions |
Free admission: Free admission for everyone on the first Saturday of every month.
Since September 20, 2025, the collection display (permanent collection) has been free; the €8 ticket applies to special exhibitions. Free admission also for, among others, members of the friends' association, ICOM, the Deutscher Museumsbund, BBK, the Bundesverband der Gästeführer, holders of a social or family pass, and holders of the Rheinpfalz-Card on Thursdays from 17:00. No reduced price tier is listed.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- 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
Step-free access only via a side entrance – please ring the bell at the mailbox to the left of the stairs. Elevators, an accessible restroom and accessible parking spaces according to the Museumsportal RLP. Tours by phone via “Bei Anruf Kultur”.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Kids’ birthday parties
Family tour followed by a studio session on the first Sunday of every month (not during summer school holidays, registration required); fairy-tale hour for families with children ages 4 and up from October to March. KinderKunstKurse (children's art courses) for ages 6 and up. Children's birthday parties for up to 12 children ages 6 and up with a tour and studio program. Free admission for children.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Pfalzgalerie · 200 m
Bus stop Pfalzgalerie (approx. 200 m); Maxstraße and Stadtmitte stops about 500–600 m away.
By car
- Accessible parking
Amenities & dining
Gift vouchers and products in the online shop, which can also be redeemed at the museum ticket desk.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Public guided tours, family tours and fairy-tale hours cost €3 each. Private tours by appointment only (tel. 0631 3647-201, anmeldung@mpk.bv-pfalz.de). Workshops for grades 1–13 (€80–240 per class), daycare workshops, children's birthday parties and art classes for kids. |
