StiftsMuseum Xanten
Church museum next to Xanten Cathedral with the treasure of St. Victor, vestments, sculptures, and the historic collegiate library – free admission.
About the museum
For around a thousand years, the collegiate chapter of St. Victor existed in Xanten. During that time a rich church treasure accumulated at the cathedral: reliquaries, liturgical objects made of precious metal and ivory, sculptures, manuscripts, and a large number of precious vestments. To be able to display this collection appropriately, a plan was developed for a museum of its own in the collegiate precinct; a friends' association was founded for this purpose in 1996.
The architectural competition in the early 1990s was won by the Münster architect Dieter Georg Baumewerd. His design connects the surviving, in part very old outbuildings of the collegiate church along the cloister with a bright new brick building, which now houses the entrance. The building, which cost around 9.3 million euros, was financed mainly by the Diocese of Münster, with funds from the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the federal government. The museum opened its doors in May 2010.
On about 800 square meters of exhibition space, the tour leads through the art and religious history of the Lower Rhine from the early Middle Ages to the present. The focus is on the woodcarving of Lower Rhine sculptors of the 16th century, a collection of more than 450 liturgical textiles ranging from Byzantine silks to Baroque brocades, as well as goldsmith work and reliquaries.
The museum also includes the StiftsArchiv (collegiate archive) and the historic StiftsBibliothek (collegiate library) with manuscripts and incunabula, as well as a public reading room. The museum is run by the Catholic parish of St. Victor Xanten in the Diocese of Münster. It is also a stop for pilgrims on the Way of St. James, who can get their stamp here.
Highlights
- Church treasure of Xanten Cathedral of St. Victor
- More than 450 liturgical vestments, including Byzantine silk fabrics of the 12th century
- Wooden sculptures by Lower Rhine woodcarvers such as Henrick van Holt and Master Arnt
- Reliquaries and liturgical objects made of gold, silver, and ivory
- Historic StiftsBibliothek with manuscripts and incunabula (guided tour only)
Permanent exhibitions
- Sammlung des StiftsMuseums – Tour through more than a thousand years of the collegiate chapter's history, with carved figures, liturgical vestments, reliquaries, and manuscripts from the treasure of St. Victor.
- Founded
- 2010
- Operated by
- Katholische Propsteigemeinde St. Viktor Xanten (Bistum Münster)
- Director
- Claudia Kienzle
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Children & teens | –Admission to the permanent collection is free for everyone; on public guided tours, children and young people up to 18 years pay nothing. |
|---|---|
| Groups | –Group tours (max. 20 people), flat rate: museum 60 min. €45, museum and cathedral 90 min. €65, museum and StiftsBibliothek 90 min. €70 (max. 15 people), StiftsBibliothek 60 min. €60 (max. 15 people). Book at 02801 9877820 or by email. |
| Public museum tour "Der Schatz von St. Viktor" (The Treasure of St. Victor) | €3Children and young people up to 18 years free |
| Public tour of StiftsMuseum and cathedral or thematic tour | €4Children and young people up to 18 years free |
| Tour of the historic StiftsBibliothek | €5Registration required; children and young people up to 18 years free |
Admission to the permanent collection is free. A fee is charged for guided tours and some events; the short tour "Kunst in der Mittagspause" (art during the lunch break) is free. Card payment is currently not possible in the museum shop.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Step-free access via the Domhof (cathedral courtyard): from the Marktplatz around the cathedral through the large courtyard gate into the museum courtyard; from Rheinstraße via the cloister with a ramp into the courtyard. All museum rooms can be reached by elevator. For the protection of the objects, the rooms are rather dimly lit. Free folding stools are available; assistance dogs are allowed.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
Children under 10 may only visit the exhibition rooms accompanied by adults. For daycare centers and schools there are hands-on modules such as "Entdeckungsreise Museum" (Museum Voyage of Discovery), "Tiere im Museum" (Animals in the Museum), or "Schreiben im Mittelalter" (Writing in the Middle Ages); on public tours, children and young people up to 18 years are free.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Xanten Bahnhof · 10-min walk
From Xanten station on foot or by bus lines SL 40/42 to the stop Dom.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
There is no parking at the museum. The city parking lots P4, P6, P7, P9, P10, P12, P13, P22, and P23 are conveniently located.
The museum is located in the collegiate precinct directly behind the Cathedral of St. Victor; access via the Domhof or through the cloister.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Lockers
Museum shop with postcards, stationery, and regional products (currently cash only). Free lockers for bags, backpacks, and jackets. Public reading room with reference library; pilgrim stamp for the Way of St. James.
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 |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography and filming for private purposes without flash are allowed; tripods and selfie sticks are not permitted. |
| Good to know | Public museum tour "Der Schatz von St. Viktor" every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month at 14:30 (60 min., no registration required, meeting point foyer). "Kunst in der Mittagspause": every last Thursday of the month at 12:30, 30 minutes, free. In addition, thematic and combined tours with the cathedral as well as tours of the historic StiftsBibliothek (registration required). Group tours, also in foreign languages upon request, can be booked through the museum ticket desk. The cathedral combines well with the museum: from the cathedral you reach the museum courtyard directly through the cloister. |
