Museum Schloss Wilhelmsburg

About the museum

Wilhelmsburg Castle was built from 1585 by Landgrave Wilhelm IV of Hesse-Kassel as a secondary residence, after the County of Henneberg had died out and the Schmalkalden district had fallen to Hesse. The new building replaced the ruined castle of the Henneberg counts and made the new power relations visible. The castle church was consecrated on May 23, 1590, and the building came into use. His son Moritz expanded it further, completed the interior, and from 1602 had a terraced garden laid out south of the castle, which was restored for the 2015 Landesgartenschau (state garden show).

Today the largely preserved complex, with its wall paintings, stucco work, and sequence of rooms, is considered one of the most important Renaissance castles in Germany. The museum, run by the Zweckverband Kultur (culture association) of the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district, leads visitors through the former living quarters, the White Hall, the great festival hall, the banqueting room (Tafelgemach), the castle kitchen, and the builder's rooms. The castle church, with its axial arrangement of altar, pulpit, and organ, is an early example of Protestant church architecture; its Renaissance organ is one of the oldest playable wooden organs in Europe.

On the ground floor, a permanent exhibition since 2017 presents the history of the Schmalkaldic League, which was concluded in 1530/31 and marks the beginning of the church schism in Europe. Video guides, animated films, and listening pens guide visitors through the rooms; children have their own audio guide. The offering is complemented by a copy of the Romanesque Iwein Room from the Hessenhof, whose original wall paintings are not publicly accessible.

Highlights

• Original preserved Renaissance castle rooms with wall paintings and stucco
• Castle church with Renaissance organ
• Permanent exhibition on the Schmalkaldic League with the digital Duchess Elisabeth von Rochlitz
• White Hall, great festival hall, and castle kitchen
• Terraced garden from around 1602
• Children's audio guide with castle ghost Willi

Permanent exhibitions

• Der Schmalkaldische Bund – Der Beginn der Kirchenspaltung in Europa – Walk-through exhibition on the ground floor on the founding, rise, and defeat of the alliance of Protestant estates, with films, loans, and the digital Duchess Elisabeth von Rochlitz as guide.
• Schloss Wilhelmsburg – Juwel der Renaissance – Tour through the original castle rooms with wall paintings, the White Hall, the great festival hall, the banqueting room, and the castle kitchen.

Operated by

Zweckverband Kultur des Landkreises Schmalkalden-Meiningen

Director

Dr. Kai Lehmann

Admission & discounts

Free admission for tour guides, members of the friends' association (Förderverein), members of the Thuringian Museums Association, ICOM and the German Museums Association, and press representatives. Guided tour for school classes €25 plus €1 per pupil. Special tours for individual visitors cost an additional €2 per person on top of admission.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• 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

According to the town portal, the castle church with its Renaissance organ is accessible to wheelchair users without major difficulty. The listening pens in the exhibition on the Schmalkaldic League are especially intended for visually impaired visitors.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

Children's audio guide with castle ghost Willi, age-appropriate guided tours for school classes, and a museum case with objects to handle. In the exhibition on the Schmalkaldic League, hands-on stations invite visitors to try things out.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

Dining options in the old town of Schmalkalden.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit