Museum und Galerie im Prediger

About the museum

The museum is among the oldest in Baden-Württemberg. Citizens and manufacturers of Gmünd, above all the silverware manufacturer Hermann Bauer, founded it in 1876 as a museum of decorative arts modeled on London's South Kensington Museum, today's Victoria and Albert Museum. A collection of models was meant to give artistic stimulus to the local precious-metal trade. In 1890 the manufacturer and collector Julius Erhard donated his collection of Gmünd antiquities, comprising over a thousand objects, to the city; his sons added an extensive pictorial chronicle in 1900.

The combined holdings were on view from 1891 in the former orphanage near the Spital, and from 1909 in a wing of the new Königliche Fachschule für das Edelmetallgewerbe (Royal Vocational School for the Precious-Metal Trade), today's Hochschule für Gestaltung. In 1973 the museum moved into the former Dominican monastery "Prediger," a Baroque complex from the first half of the 18th century that had long served as barracks after secularization. Since 1994 the municipal gallery has used the former monastery church as an exhibition space for contemporary art, especially sculpture and relief.

The permanent collection leads chronologically through the city's history: finds from the Limes fort Schirenhof, Staufer-era architectural sculpture, late medieval panel paintings, prints from Dürer to Baldung Grien, ivory works by the Maucher family of sculptors, silver treasures, and 19th- and 20th-century painting, for example by Emanuel Leutze. The museum also includes the Silberwarenmuseum Ott-Pausersche Fabrik (silverware museum).

Highlights

• Bronze statuette of Jupiter from the 2nd century and finds from the Limes fort Schirenhof
• Panel painting "Die wahre Länge Christi" (The True Length of Christ) from 1487
• Veil of Veronica from 1419, one of the oldest dated Swabian panel paintings
• Ivory works by the Gmünd family of sculptors Maucher
• Works by Emanuel Leutze and Wilhelm Widemann
• Gmünd executioner's sword in the permanent collection

Permanent exhibitions

• Schausammlung zur Kunst- und Kulturgeschichte Schwäbisch Gmünds – Chronological tour from the Roman era through Staufer-era architectural sculpture and medieval panel painting to 19th-century and contemporary art; the fourth floor is closed until approximately the end of November 2026.
• Römer am Limes – Finds from the fort and bath at Schirenhof and from a completely excavated cremation cemetery on burial, bathing culture, and the worship of gods along the Limes.

Founded

1876

Operated by

Stadt Schwäbisch Gmünd

Admission & discounts

The base price applies to the permanent collection including the exhibitions in the gallery. Free admission also applies to holders of the Museums-PASS-Musées and members of the Deutscher Museumsbund, ICOM, and the Gmünder Museumsverein.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• 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 district, Museum und Galerie im Prediger are accessible. The Silberwarenmuseum Ott-Pausersche Fabrik is not accessible.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Kids’ birthday parties

In the children's club "MuseumsFüchse," five- to twelve-year-olds discover the museum and its stories on two Saturdays a month (registration). Children's birthday parties with a tour and creative part from age six; in the Silberwarenmuseum, 9- to 12-year-olds can make their own jewelry in the children's workshop.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located on Johannisplatz in the old town, near the Johanniskirche.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Publications and catalogs are available in the museum.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit