Naturkunde-Museum Coburg

Current exhibitions

About the museum

The foundations were laid by Duke Ernst II of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his brother Albert, later Prince Consort to Queen Victoria, both passionate collectors. In 1844 the ducal cabinet of art and natural history was opened to the public for the first time; this year is considered the museum's founding date.

Commissioned by the last duke, Carl Eduard, a dedicated three-story museum building designed by Rudolf Zahn was built on the edge of the Hofgarten from 1912. At the time it was one of the largest natural history museum buildings in Germany, and it opened in May 1914. Since 1919 the building has belonged to the Free State of Bavaria and the collections to the Coburger Landesstiftung.

An extension in the 1990s increased the usable floor space to around 4,800 square meters (52,000 sq ft), of which roughly 2,400 are devoted to exhibitions. The permanent exhibition is divided into the sections Earth, Evolution, Earth History and Humankind, and features minerals, fossils from the Triassic and Jurassic, dioramas of native and foreign habitats, animal specimens from every continent, ethnographic objects and a historic marble mill, among other things. With a total of around 700,000 objects, the collection is considered the largest of its kind in northern Bavaria.

After a basement fire in 2022, numerous objects had to undergo painstaking cleaning. The museum gained an elevator in 2025; Christoph Unger has been its director since 2026.

Highlights

• Around 700,000 objects from the collection of the Dukes of Coburg
• Dioramas of native habitats and the Rocky Mountains
• Historic Duchess Auguste Hall with 19th-century display cases
• Historic marble mill
• Fossils from the Triassic and Jurassic, plus minerals and a volcano show

Permanent exhibitions

• Die Erde – Minerals, rocks and geological processes, brought to life with a volcano show and a marble mill, among other things.
• Evolution – The diversity of life, with animal specimens from every continent and large dioramas of various habitats.
• Erdgeschichte – Fossils from the Triassic and Jurassic and reconstructions of prehistoric landscapes of the Coburg region.

Founded

1844

Director

Christoph Unger

Admission & discounts

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

According to Coburg Marketing, wheelchair-accessible with an elevator (since 2025), accessible restroom, tactile guidance system for blind visitors and accessible parking spaces.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Kids’ birthday parties

Children's birthday parties (cafeteria available), family tours with registration the day before at 09561 8081-20, and holiday activities.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

Cafeteria with 25 seats and drink vending machines; museum shop. Children's birthday parties, family tours and school-holiday activities.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Up to 80 guests.

Lecture hall seating up to 80 for small conferences, lecture series and evening events; the museum and hall can be rented on request.

Plan your visit