October 17, 2026 – March 7, 2027
Lebensfreude und Rausch. Der Tanz in der Kunst
Dancing figures from the Rococo to the present, from porcelain and Baroque sculpture through Expressionism and Oskar Schlemmer’s stage figures to contemporary positions.
Städtische Wessenberg-Galerie
Municipal art museum in the Kulturzentrum am Münster in Konstanz, with changing exhibitions of art from southwestern Germany from the 19th century to today.
Opening hoursAdmission from €5 Wheelchair accessible
Current exhibitions
About the museum
The gallery is named after its founder, Ignaz Heinrich von Wessenberg (1774–1860), vicar general and last administrator of the Diocese of Konstanz, a representative of the Catholic Enlightenment and an avid art collector. He supported artists of his time, including the painter Marie Ellenrieder. After his death, his residence opposite the Münster (minster), his library and around 600 copperplate engravings passed to the city; his paintings were acquired by the Grand Duke of Baden on condition that they remain in Konstanz. This became the basis of the municipal art collection, which was shown in the Wessenberghaus.
Donations and acquisitions steadily expanded the collection. In 1907 the Danish-born banker Wilhelm Brandes bequeathed to the city his internationally respected collection of European drawings; numerous designs by the Baroque sculptor Joseph Anton Feuchtmayer and his workshop were added as well. Since around 1900 the gallery has mainly acquired paintings, prints and sculpture from the Lake Constance region and southwestern Germany.
Since 1991 the Wessenberg-Galerie has been a separate department of the Städtische Museen Konstanz. It is located in the Kulturzentrum am Münster; with around 250 square meters, the exhibition space is small, so there is no permanent display of the collection. Instead, the gallery presents up to three special exhibitions a year featuring works from its own holdings, often complemented by contemporary positions. On the third floor, a memorial room recalls Wessenberg and, since 2013, a cabinet is devoted to the graphic artist Hans Meid.
Highlights
- Changing special exhibitions drawn from the municipal art collection
- Paintings from the estate of Ignaz Heinrich von Wessenberg, including Dutch genre paintings
- The Wilhelm Brandes collection of drawings
- Hans Meid Kabinett with print presentations that change annually
- Free admission for children and young people under 18
Permanent exhibitions
- Hans Meid Kabinett – Presentations on the work of the Impressionist graphic artist Hans Meid on the third floor, changing annually; currently a selection of his etchings and book illustrations.
- Wessenberg-Gedächtniszimmer – A room on the life and work of the founder with changing works from his collection, currently Dutch genre paintings and character heads of the 17th and 18th centuries.
- Operated by
- Stadt Konstanz (Städtische Museen Konstanz)
- Director
- Mark R. Hesslinger
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3Students, apprentices, groups of 10 or more |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Children and young people under 18 as well as school classes (including teacher and one accompanying adult) are admitted free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with severe disabilities with a degree of disability (GdB) of 80 or more and one necessary companion. |
| Students & apprentices | €3Students and apprentices; free with the University of Konstanz Kulturticket. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €3 per personReduced admission for groups of 10 or more, registration required. Group tour (max. 25 people) Tue–Fri €80, Sat/Sun/public holidays or evenings €90, in each case plus admission. |
| Annual pass | €20 |
Free admission: Free admission on the first Sunday of every month.
Free admission also for members of the friends’ association “Freunde und Förderer des Kulturzentrums”, members of German art associations (Kunstvereine) and the Thurgauische Kunstgesellschaft, ICOM members, and with a new-resident voucher. Card payment accepted (special events cash only); no online ticket sales.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials
- Audio description: no information
The ticket desk and exhibition are on the second floor, reachable by elevator via the stairwell opposite the main entrance of the Kulturzentrum; the rooms on the third floor are wheelchair-accessible via the library. Accessible restroom in the basement. Loaner wheelchair free of charge with advance notice (tel. 07531 900-2921); folding stools available to borrow. Tours in Leichte Sprache (easy-to-read German) on request; telephone tours through “Bei Anruf Kultur”. Assistance dogs with documentation are welcome.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 45 min |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
- Family tours & workshops
- Stroller-friendly
- Kids’ birthday parties
Family tours and family workshops for children aged 5 and up with an accompanying adult for every exhibition. Children’s birthday parties with an interactive tour and studio session (2 hours, up to 15 children, €100 or €120 on weekends, plus materials). Programs for daycare centers and school classes.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bürgerbüro · 5-min walk
Bus to Bürgerbüro, Stephansschule or Konzilstraße (each about a 5-minute walk); from Konstanz train station about a 10-minute walk toward the Münster.
By car
Parking available
Parking garages “Altstadt” and “Fischmarkt” nearby.
The gallery is in the pedestrian zone and cannot be reached directly by car.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Restaurant: not available
- Lockers
Lockers next to the gallery entrance (€1 deposit). No café of its own; Restaurant/Café Wessenberg is next door, and there is also the museum café in the Rosgartenmuseum.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, EN) |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography and filming for private purposes without flash or tripod are permitted. |
| Good to know | A tour of the special exhibition takes about 45 to 60 minutes. Free audio guide to the special exhibitions via QR code on your own smartphone (bring your own headphones). Public guided tours (about 1 hour), “Happy Hour” evening tours with an aperitif, and programs for people aged 60 and over according to the calendar. Please store bags larger than A4 in a locker; groups of 10 or more should register. |
