Rosgartenmuseum Konstanz

Current exhibitions

About the museum

Konstanz pharmacist and town councilor Ludwig Leiner founded the Rosgartenmuseum in 1870 as a museum of the history of the city and the Lake Constance region. For a long time, his family looked after the collection on a voluntary basis; since the mid-20th century, the museum has been headed by academic specialists, and since 2006 by Tobias Engelsing, who is also director of the Städtische Museen Konstanz.

The museum is housed in the building "Zum Rosgarten", first mentioned in 1324, which in the Middle Ages served the guilds of butchers, grocers, pharmacists, potters, and ropemakers. In 1454 it was joined to the neighboring house "Zum Schwarzen Widder"; the paneled guild hall also dates from that time. The coats of arms of both houses still adorn the portal today.

The collection comprises around 50,000 objects, from geological history and the pile dwellings up to the 20th century. The Leinersaal, named after the founder, preserves the historic display of fossils and archaeological finds as a "museum within the museum". Among the most important pieces is the Konstanz manuscript of the Richental Chronicle of the Council of Constance (1414–1418), created around 1464. Other focal points are late Gothic panel painting, Konstanz arts and crafts, the painter Marie Ellenrieder, and the Nazi era on Lake Constance. Annual special exhibitions complement the tour.

Highlights

• Richental Chronicle of the Council of Constance (c. 1464)
• Medieval guild hall from 1454
• Leinersaal with fossils and pile-dwelling finds
• Paintings by Marie Ellenrieder
• Historic city model
• Museum café with courtyard

Permanent exhibitions

• Kunst- und Kulturgeschichte von Konstanz – Tour from the pile dwellings through the Council and the Reformation to the Nazi era, with the guild hall, Richental Chronicle, and city model.

Founded

1870

Operated by

Stadt Konstanz (Städtische Museen Konstanz)

Director

Tobias Engelsing

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Every 1st Sunday of the month

€5 (reduced €3) applies only to the permanent exhibition, which has limited access during the special exhibition. Guided tours cost a fee plus admission.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description

Exhibition rooms reachable by elevator, some rooms only via a folding ramp; a companion is recommended for visitors needing more assistance. Museum café only via a temporary ramp (please ask staff). Audio guide track for blind and visually impaired visitors, tours with tactile relief images, tours in easy-to-understand language and for people with dementia on request. Dogs not allowed, except assistance dogs. Winner of the Konstanz district's 2023 Inclusion Prize.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Kids’ birthday parties

Family tours for children ages 5 and up (45–60 min.), roughly two-hour family workshops with registration, tours for parents with babies under 2 years, and children's birthday parties with a workshop on a theme of your choice. Children and young people up to age 18 have free admission.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located in the pedestrian zone; tour buses cannot drive up to it.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Lockers

Museum café with inner courtyard (Tue–Fri 10:00–17:30, Sat 10:00–16:30, Sun/public holidays 12:00–16:30).

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Civil weddings in the medieval guild hall (Wednesdays and Saturdays, dates via the city's wedding calendar), followed by a reception in the museum garden, bookable. Corporate and private events with a guided tour and aperitif on request.

Plan your visit