Ancestral seat of the Counts and later Princes of Schwarzburg in the Schwarza valley, with the Princely Arsenal, gatehouse exhibitions and the baroque Kaisersaal.
March 28, 2026 – November 29, 2026
The exhibition in the Kaisersaal traces the summer stays of the designer Henry van de Velde in the Schwarza valley and the traces he left there, through drawings, designs and personal documents.
Schwarzburg is the ancestral seat of the Counts and later Princes of Schwarzburg; it can be documented since 1123. The medieval castle became a palace in the 16th century and again around 1700; after a fire in 1726 it was restored as a hunting lodge and summer residence. The Kaisersaal building was constructed between 1713 and 1719 from a garden house and served as a hall of fame and ancestors, with portraits of the Roman and German emperors.
After Prince Günther Viktor's abdication in 1918 and the signing of the Weimar Constitution by Friedrich Ebert in Schwarzburg in 1919, the complex initially remained intact. In 1940 its conversion into a Reich guesthouse began, during which large parts of the buildings were demolished; in 1942 the work was halted and the palace fell into ruin. Since then the complex has been gradually secured and opened to visitors; a friends' association works to preserve it.
The centerpiece of the exhibitions is the Princely Arsenal (Fürstliches Zeughaus). It is considered the only surviving free-standing arsenal in Germany and displays a weapons collection of more than 5,000 objects spanning five centuries. There are also exhibitions in the gatehouse and in the Kaisersaal building. Since June 2026 a service area in the main building has been open as well, through which the palace can be entered for the first time since 1942 via its former main entrance.
| Adults | €8 |
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| Reduced | €5schoolchildren, students up to age 27, social pass holders and people with a severe disability ID |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 14 · Schoolchildren up to age 14 are free only when accompanied by teaching staff; alternatively, museum education supervision for €3 per person. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €5with a severe disability ID |
| Students & apprentices | €5students up to age 27 |
| Combination ticket "Schwarzburger Schlösser" (Heidecksburg incl. Rococo en miniature, Paulinzella hunting lodge, Schwarzburg Palace) | €18 |
| Combination ticket "Museumsverbund" (additionally Fröbel Museum Bad Blankenburg) | €22 |
Ticket valid for the gatehouse, Arsenal and Kaisersaal. Thuringian Forest Card: 35% discount on the adult price; All-Inclusive card: one free admission; Weimar Card Plus (96 hours): free admission. Payment in cash, by credit card or EC card.
The gatehouse and the Princely Arsenal are barrier-free via an elevator; the Kaisersaal building is not.
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 14 |
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Children up to age 14 have free admission; museum education support for school classes costs €3 per person.
Parking available
Limited parking for people with a severe disability ID at the palace; further spaces in the upper and lower village of Schwarzburg.
Navigation address: Schlossstraße 1a, 07427 Schwarzburg.
Get directionsThe museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Weddings in the Kaisersaal, with space for 70 guests.
Inquiries & details| Guided tours | yes · approx. 45 min |
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| School programs | yes |
| Photography | According to the friends' association, photography and video recording are not permitted in the Princely Arsenal. |
| Good to know | The Arsenal is only accessible on a guided tour (approx. 45–50 minutes); cancellations can occur in exceptional cases, and a preferred date can be reserved by phone. The gatehouse and the Kaisersaal building are accessible throughout opening hours. Dogs are not permitted in the exhibitions. From May to October 2026, guided tours of the main building take place on weekends and selected public holidays (10:30, 13:00 and 15:00; €7, reduced €5, children up to 14 free); booking recommended. |
