City history museum in Karlsruhe's Prinz-Max-Palais – showing changing special exhibitions on local history until the building's renovation.
July 4, 2026 – February 7, 2027
Photographs of abandoned, vanished or repurposed places in Karlsruhe, combined with objects from the collection that come from them; plus an escape game centered on the former Tullabad.
Special exhibition
Cabinet exhibition on the eventful history of the building, from banker's villa and prince's residence to the Federal Constitutional Court; until further notice, free admission.
Special exhibition
Planned from April 2027: the first exhibition on Karlsruhe's history of RAF (Red Army Faction) terrorism, on attacks, protests and how the city's society dealt with them.
The museum's roots go back to the founding period of the Karlsruhe city archive: from 1882, in addition to plans and views, the city collected objects relating to its past, which officially became the Stadtgeschichtliche Sammlungen (City History Collections) in 1896. The first exhibitions took place in the old waterworks on Archivplatz; later the holdings were shown in places including the top floor of the Schloss (palace), the Palais Solms and the savings bank building on Marktplatz.
The banker August Schmieder had Josef Durm build the Prinz-Max-Palais as a magnificent city residence in 1881–1884. From 1900 it was the home of Prince Max of Baden, after whom it is still named. Rebuilt after heavy bomb damage in 1944, it was the seat of the Federal Constitutional Court from 1951 to 1969. In 1981 the city opened the building as a cultural center; since then the Stadtmuseum has presented Karlsruhe's history there, from 1998 on the entire second floor.
This permanent exhibition was dismantled in 2019 in anticipation of the planned renovation of the building. Until construction begins, the museum is showing special exhibitions on city history topics as well as a cabinet exhibition on the history of the palais. A newly conceived permanent exhibition is planned for after the renovation, with its focal points prepared in workshops with citizens. The collection ranges from furniture, paintings and porcelain to everyday objects and items relating to contemporary topics such as migration and sustainability.
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2School students, university students, apprentices, pensioners, people with severe disabilities, the unemployed, holders of the Karlsruher Pass |
| Children & teens | €2free up to age 12 · Children up to age 12 and school classes free. |
| Seniors | €2Pensioners |
| Visitors with disabilities | €2People with severe disabilities, with proof |
| Students & apprentices | €2School students, university students and apprentices |
| Groups | –Group tour (max. 25 people) €50 on weekdays, €60 on weekends and public holidays; school classes €40. Register at least two weeks in advance. |
Admission applies to the special exhibition; the cabinet exhibition on the history of the palais is free. Free admission also for members of the friends' association and with a Museums-PASS-Musées, ICOM or Museumsbund card. Public guided tours are included in the admission price.
All floors can be reached by a passenger elevator in the courtyard entrance to the right of the main entrance; exhibition rooms on the second and third floors are accessible, with portable seating available. Accessible restroom on the first floor. Public accessible parking spaces in front of the palais. Regular telephone tours.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Europaplatz · 2-min walk
All tram lines to the Europaplatz stop.
Parking available
Parking garage at Akademiestraße 51–55; public accessible parking spaces in front of the Prinz-Max-Palais.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Public guided tours of the special exhibitions usually on Sundays at 15:00 (dates in the events program), plus telephone tours and bookable tours for groups and school classes. Escape game "Der letzte Badetag" in the exhibition "Lost Places": no registration required, approx. 40 minutes, young people only when accompanied by adults. |
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