Wilhelm-Wagenfeld-Haus
Design exhibition venue in a Neoclassical gatehouse on Bremen's Wallanlagen (rampart park), home of the Wilhelm Wagenfeld Stiftung (foundation).
About the museum
Born in Bremen in 1900, Wilhelm Wagenfeld was one of the defining designers of the 20th century. His famous table lamp was created at the Bauhaus; later he designed tea sets in Jena glass, pressed glass for the Lausitzer Glaswerke, and numerous household items for WMF. In 1988 he offered his estate to his hometown. After his death in 1990, the Wilhelm Wagenfeld Stiftung was established in 1993 to preserve and research his work; its holdings include models, objects, sketches and technical drawings, a specialist library, and an archive.
Since 1998 the foundation has been based in the former Ostertorwache, a Neoclassical building that Friedrich Moritz Stamm built between 1825 and 1828 as a guardhouse and jail. It has been a listed monument since 1973 and, together with the Gerhard-Marcks-Haus across the way, forms a gate ensemble. After conversion, an exhibition space of about 330 square meters on two floors opened in March 1998; at the back, surviving cells recall the building's former use as a prison.
There is no permanent exhibition: the house shows only temporary exhibitions on historical and contemporary questions of design, accompanied by guided tours, lectures, and other events. It is part of Bremen's Kulturmeile (culture mile) along with the Kunsthalle, the Gerhard-Marcks-Haus, and the Theater am Goetheplatz.
Highlights
- Temporary exhibitions on design and cultural history
- Small overview of Wagenfeld's designs – from the Bauhaus lamp to the WMF "Max und Moritz" salt and pepper shakers
- Neoclassical Ostertorwache (1825–1828) with surviving jail cells
- Location on the Wallanlagen along Bremen's Kulturmeile
- Founded
- 1998
- Operated by
- Wilhelm Wagenfeld Stiftung
- Director
- Dr. Julia Bulk
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3.50 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for school students and young people under 18 (sponsored by Sparkasse Bremen). |
| Students & apprentices | freeKultursemesterticket: free admission and free public guided tours for students of the Universität Bremen, the Hochschule Bremen, the Hochschule für Künste Bremen, and the Hochschule für Künste im Sozialen Ottersberg. |
| Groups | –Group tour for adults €50 plus €3 admission per person; tour for school classes and university students €45. Booking at 0421 33 999 33. |
The website does not state who qualifies for reduced admission.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- 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 website provides no accessibility information; please call ahead before visiting. Special tours for people with visual impairments were offered for the current exhibition.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Theater am Goetheplatz · 100 m
Tram 2 or 3 to "Theater am Goetheplatz" (approx. 100 m); alternatively any line to "Domsheide" (approx. 500 m walk). About a 20-minute walk from the main train station.
By car
Parking available
Underground garage "Theater/Kulturmeile" a few minutes' walk away.
Amenities & dining
Publications and Wagenfeld products via the foundation's shop.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Public guided tours on selected Tuesdays (dates on the home page); group tours by appointment. Digital consultation "Ist das von Wagenfeld?" (Is this by Wagenfeld?) to identify your own objects, by appointment. |
