Museum St. Wendel

About the museum

In the mid-1980s, plans emerged for a cultural center in the middle of St. Wendel that would also house the town and district library. The Dr. Walter Bruch Foundation made it possible to plan a museum on the upper floor. Architect Hanns Schönecker designed the building, which consists of four pavilions and is called the “Mia-Münster-Haus” after the St. Wendel painter Mia Münster, who died in 1970. The museum opened on April 29, 1989; it is run by the Dr. Walter Bruch Foundation and the county town of St. Wendel.

The permanent exhibition is dedicated to regional art and cultural history. It shows a baroque cycle of 21 paintings on the legend of St. Wendelin, the town's patron saint, as well as the largest collection of pastel portraits by the painter Nikolaus Lauer (1753–1824) and his students. Further sections are devoted to the composer Philipp Jakob Riotte, who was successful in Vienna, and to Duchess Luise of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, who lived in St. Wendel from 1824 to 1831. The display has been redesigned, with media and hands-on stations.

A focus of its own is the exhibition on the life and work of Mia Münster, who created fashion drawings in Berlin in the 1920s and later painted Lorraine landscapes and everyday scenes. In addition, several changing exhibitions of contemporary art are held each year.

Highlights

• Baroque cycle of 21 paintings on the legend of St. Wendelin
• Largest collection of pastel portraits by Nikolaus Lauer and his students
• Permanent exhibition on the life and work of painter Mia Münster
• Section on Duchess Luise of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
• Composer Philipp Jakob Riotte with listening station
• Media station “Rad der Zeit” on town history

Permanent exhibitions

• Kunst- und Kulturgeschichte St. Wendels – Personalities of the town, from Nikolaus Lauer and his pastel portraits through composer Riotte and Duchess Luise to St. Wendelin with his baroque cycle of paintings; on about 150 m² with media and hands-on stations.
• Dauerausstellung Mia Münster – Life and work of the St. Wendel painter Mia Münster (1894–1970), from fashion drawings in 1920s Berlin to Lorraine paintings and town views.

Founded

1989

Operated by

Stiftung Dr. Walter Bruch und Kreisstadt St. Wendel

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

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

The museum is on the upper floor above the town library and can be reached by elevator; a baby changing table is available. Guided tours can be arranged on request with an FM system for hard-of-hearing visitors and cochlear implant users.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

Worksheets for children, the accompanying booklet “Kunstentdeckungen mit dir und Mia Münster” (Art Discoveries with You and Mia Münster; €7), bookable workshops such as printmaking, collage, stick puppets, portraits and paper silhouette cutting, and summer holiday workshops. The permanent exhibition has analog hands-on stations.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the town center close to the old town and the Wendelinus Basilica.

Amenities & dining

The museum is located in the Mia-Münster-Haus above the town library.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit