The Neues Museum is located in the heart of Nuremberg's old town, just a 4-minute walk from the main station. Its entrance is on Klarissenplatz square, opposite the city's medieval walls. The gleaming glass facade of the building is instantly impressive. You don't have to go far to see the first works from its collection: they are located in its forecourt and in the foyer on the other side of the curtain wall. The glass facade is like an immense mirror, erasing the boundary between interior and exterior. The Neues Museum is a space for painting, sculpture, photography, video art and installations from 1950 onward. The works are housed in an impressive structure whose architecture alone makes a visit worthwhile. Created by Berlin-based architect Volker Staab, this magnificent building not only provides ample room for exhibitions, but its modern design merges with the protected heritage of the old town – part of which forms the museum's core – to create something that is new and exciting.
Transformations, the interplay of old and new, and ever-changing vistas: these are all part of the artistic outlook that underpin the entire museum's ethos. The range of items on display is constantly changing, creating ever-evolving new connections between the times and meanings of the artworks. International contemporary art and design occupy not just the exhibition hall itself – the curators also utilise the square outside the building, the foyer and the rooms immediately behind the facade for the museum's many temporary exhibitions. Within the building, over 3,000 m2 in size, the spotlight sometimes falls on the graphic art of Andy Warhol or on the colourful, near-caricatures that are the paintings of Richard Lindner. Images from the concrete photography movement, posters and performance art can just as easily be the centre of attention at the museum – the building and its collection change with every visit. For this reason, we can only recommend coming back time and time again.
The museum also wants to highlight the special characteristics of its collections by offering a wide range of guided tours and changing workshops about the works on display. Children aged 6 and more have something special to look forward to at the end of a classic tour – they get to visit the visitor workshops or strike out on an artistic adventure of their own with the museum's bee mascot, Mubi, and a free booklet full of exciting things to do. Children and grown-ups alike should certainly make sure that they visit the sculpture garden adjoining the museum: here, old trees and the city walls serve as a backdrop for modern sculptures.
Tip: once a month, there is a guided tour (open to everyone) about the architecture of the Neues Museum.
News, prices and opening hours are all available here.
Need a break from art? Japanese restaurant Kokoro is located just opposite the museum. Its menu consists of traditional Japanese cuisine, made from the freshest ingredients and available at decent prices. Afterwards, you can get back to the business of aesthetic appreciation or have a look around the museum's fantastic shop. Even if you can't decide what to buy as a souvenir, you shouldn't leave without a jar of Stadtgold honey. It is made by the museum's own bees that live on the roof of the building.
Getting here:
The museum's entrance is on Klarissenplatz, just 3 minutes on foot from Nuremberg's main station. When you arrive at the station, leave via the exit on the northern side and go right. Cross Bahnhofsplatz at the lights and go straight on across the footbridge that leads you to a gate in the city wall. This gives you access to the artisans' yard. Keep going straight on and leave the complex via the gate opposite. This brings you straight to Klarissenplatz. The museum is located on your left.
