Baroque residence palace of the Schwarzburg dynasty in Rudolstadt, with living quarters, a painting gallery, porcelain, a Natural History Museum and Rococo en miniature.
May 30, 2026 – January 17, 2027
The exhibition traces the history of the Städtische Altertumssammlung Rudolstadt, which emerged from civic initiative. Crafts, social life and religion are also central themes; the occasion is the city anniversaries.
The Heidecksburg grew out of a medieval castle that came to the counts of Schwarzburg in 1340. From 1571 it served as their permanent residence; after a fire in 1573, a three-winged Renaissance complex took shape. After the palace fire of 1735, the west wing was rebuilt, first to plans by Johann Christoph Knöffel and then under Gottfried Heinrich Krohne in a light Rococo style. The state rooms, with the great hall, rank among the most important Rococo interiors in Germany.
The museum goes back to a 1918 endowment by the last prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and was taken over by the state of Thuringia in 1923. In 1950 the museum association "Staatliche Museen Heidecksburg" was formed; other sites later joined it, including the Fröbel Museum in Bad Blankenburg and the Paulinzella hunting lodge. Today the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt district runs the state museum, one of the largest museums in Thuringia.
The collections range from paintings, prints, furniture and weapons to porcelain and glass, regional history, ethnology and natural history. The Natural History Museum in the north wing continues the princely natural history cabinet. "Rococo en miniature," a large miniature world, is displayed in the former court kitchen. Because of renovation work on the west wing and the palace tower, the state rooms are currently not accessible.
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5School students, students up to age 27, social pass holders, and people with a severe disability ID (Schwerbehindertenausweis) |
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 13 · Children up to age 14 are free; from age 15, the reduced rate applies to students. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €5Reduced rate with a severe disability ID (Schwerbehindertenausweis). |
| Students & apprentices | €5Students up to age 27. |
| Groups (20+ people) | €7 per personFrom 20 people, per person. Guide fee €20 per booked tour (not for school groups). |
| Families | €18Two adults and children aged 15 to 18. |
| Adults without visit to the living quarters | €6 |
| Reduced without visit to the living quarters | €4 |
| Rococo en miniature (individual ticket, adults) | €4Reduced: €3. |
| Rococo en miniature (surcharge on top of the Heidecksburg ticket) | €2 |
| Guide fee per booked tour | €20Does not apply to school groups. |
| Special tours | €5 |
| Special exhibitions | €4 |
| Museum education programs | €3 |
| Photo and video permit without flash | €3 |
| Combination ticket "Schwarzburg Palaces" (Heidecksburg, Rococo en miniature, Paulinzella, Schwarzburg Castle) | €18 |
| Combination ticket "Museum Association" (additionally Fröbel Museum Bad Blankenburg) | €22 |
| Combination ticket "Heidecksburg and Schillerhaus" | €9 |
| Combination ticket "Heidecksburg, Schillerhaus and Farmhouses" | €11 |
With the Thüringer Wald Card, there is 35% off the adult price; with the All-Inclusive card, one free admission; the Weimar Card Plus 96 h grants free admission (except Rococo en miniature). Payment by cash, credit card or EC card.
The historic palace has no elevators. On the ground floor, the porcelain gallery and Rococo en miniature are easy to reach with few barriers; because of the construction work, all other exhibitions are currently reachable only by stairs. Two marked accessible parking spaces are located in the parking lot in front of the palace.
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 13 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €18 · Two adults and children aged 15 to 18. |
Once a month, usually on the last Sunday, the family Sunday takes place for children aged 6 to 12 with parents and grandparents (2 hours, €3 per person). In addition there are holiday programs, family tours in the dark, a free-to-borrow explorer bag for children aged 6 to 12, and a children's audio guide through the state rooms, which can be used again once the state rooms reopen.
Bahnhof Rudolstadt (Thür) / Busbahnhof
Rudolstadt (Thür) train station and the bus station are centrally located near the market square; several paths lead from there to the palace, a walk of about 15 to 20 minutes.
Parking available
Limited parking for people with a severe disability ID directly at the palace; more parking spaces are near the palace complex.
For your navigation device, enter "Schloßstraße" and follow it to the end; the route to the palace is signposted.
Get directionsThe cloakroom is free; lockers take a €2 coin as deposit. Backpacks, bags and umbrellas may not be taken into the exhibition rooms.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photo and video permit without flash for a fee (€3). |
| Good to know | Guided tours last about 45 to 60 minutes and are booked by phone or email; the tour of the state rooms is currently not bookable because of the renovation. Torchlight tours of the darkened palace take place from November to January. Dogs are not allowed in the exhibition areas. |
