Residenzmuseum im Celler Schloss

About the museum

Celle Palace has roots going back to the Middle Ages and was for centuries the residence of the Welf dukes. Among its best-known residents were the electoral princess Sophie Dorothea and the Danish queen Caroline Mathilde, who lived in exile in Celle from 1772 to 1775. Preserved are, among other things, a Renaissance chapel from the 16th century and a palace theater that is still in use today.

Organizationally, the Residenzmuseum is a department of the Bomann-Museum. Its regional history holdings were first shown in the palace in 1996. Around 2000 the idea arose of combining this presentation with the historic palace rooms, which until then had been accessible only on guided tours. From 2004 the conversion took place in stages: in 2005 the Baroque state apartments opened, in 2006 the Caroline Mathilde rooms in the east wing, and in 2007 the Knights' Hall, kitchen and chapel were added.

Since 2021 the department "Herrschaft und Landschaft – Macht und Teilhabe" (Rule and Land – Power and Participation) has complemented the permanent exhibition with the question of how the court, town and estates took part in governing. A large part of the palace inventory belongs to the city of Celle; the operator is the Gesellschaft zur Unterhaltung des Bomann-Museums.

Highlights

• Baroque state apartments with magnificent stucco ceilings
• Renaissance palace chapel from the 16th century (guided tour only)
• Caroline Mathilde rooms and Royal Hall on the personal union
• Silver cabinet and historic palace kitchen
• Exhibition "Herrschaft und Landschaft – Macht und Teilhabe" (free admission)

Permanent exhibitions

• Residenzgeschichte – Staatsgemächer, Caroline-Mathilde-Räume und Silberkabinett – Tour from the medieval banquet hall through the Baroque state apartments to the rooms from the time of the personal union and the Kingdom of Hanover.
• Herrschaft und Landschaft – Macht und Teilhabe – Free-admission department on political and social participation, from the society of estates to democracy.
• Schlosskapelle und Schlossküche – The originally furnished Renaissance chapel and the royal kitchen in the south wing can be seen as part of guided tours.

Founded

2005

Operated by

Gesellschaft zur Unterhaltung des Bomann-Museums (Abteilung des Bomann-Museums Celle)

Director

Juliane Schmieglitz-Otten

Admission & discounts

The department "Herrschaft und Landschaft – Macht und Teilhabe" is free of charge. The palace kitchen, palace chapel and palace theater are accessible only with a guided tour; the theater depending on rehearsal schedules. Free admission also for, among others, members of the museum association, of ICOM and of the Deutscher Museumsbund, as well as all guests on their birthday.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: not available
• 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

Nearly all rooms can be reached by elevator; where there is no direct route, the attendants will help. Accessible restroom available. A brief stop to drop off passengers in front of the palace is possible; there is no parking at the palace. For climatic reasons the palace chapel can only be seen behind a glass wall.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

Children's stations in the exhibition to touch, hear and smell, and a quiz available at the ticket desk. Costume and themed tours for children (including "Barock-Baröckchen" for young and old) and programs for daycare groups and school classes from kindergarten age.

Getting there & parking

A brief stop to drop off passengers in front of the palace is possible. Follow the city's parking guidance system.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop in the foyer with specialist literature, postcards, gifts and children's books; open also without a museum visit and on Sundays.

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit