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Looking for something to do on a cold, German winter’s day? One option is to head to Frankfurt to explore museum row on the Sachsenhausen bank of the Main River.
Visitors will find one museum after another packed full with everything from the history of the movie industry in the German Film Museum to great works of architecture in the Architecture Museum. While those with a technical bent may prefer exploring the history of communications in the Communications Museum, art lovers will discover a world of great works in the Staedel Museum. With an ever-changing showcase of unique exhibitions, the Staedel offers a look at 700 years of European paintings and sculptures featuring works by Rembrandt, Botticelli, Rubens and Picasso.
In celebration of its 200th anniversary in 2015, visitors can admire the museum’s anniversary wall as they walk along the main stairway. The wall displays about 538 square feet of Staedel history from 1815 until now. Special exhibits will also be presented in honor of the museum’s anniversary: “Masterworks in Dialogue: Eminent Guests for the Anniversary” through Jan. 24 presenting eight select works from the Staedel collection along with pieces from some of the most well-known museums from all over the world; and the John Baldessari exhibit featuring a new series of painted masterpieces inspired by Lucas Cranach the Elder, Agnolo Bronzino and Dirck van Baburen, who gave the American media artist the visual to create a large-format of collages based on modernism, such as the incorporation of everyday life elements, as he developed an understanding of the idea behind painting and photography, and words and image. This exhibit also goes on until Jan. 24.
But painting and sculpture are not the only human endeavors to be delved into during a visit to the Staedel Museum. The curators have taken pains to offer detailed explanations of the times in which various artworks were created. Visitors are given an inside look at the powerful role of the church and various governments through the centuries in influencing how people and society were depicted. Many paintings are on display adjacent or facing one another as if to offer a contrast in how different artists approached the challenge of capturing the world around them while risking censorship by those in power.
If you’re interested in more details about the artwork, the museum offers guided tours in German and English for children and adults, school classes, clubs, associations or companies. New this year is a digital exhibit platform featuring educational computer games for children, online art history courses and other digital material, allowing guests to roam at their own pace and learn about the museum in advance. For more information on guided tours and the digital platform, visit www.staedelmuseum.de/en/programme.
The Staedel Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday; and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Admission is €14 for adults, €12 for students and free for children under age 12. A family ticket valid for two adults and one or more children costs €24. For more information on purchasing a ticket, visit www.staedelmuseum.de/en/information-service.
Those who want to spend a couple days exploring Frankfurt museums should consider purchasing a Museumsuferticket valid for most of the city’s museums, not only those along the river bank. A single two-day ticket costs €18, and a family ticket for parents and children or grandchildren is €28. The combined ticket is available at the Hauptwache ticket office and Tourist Information Offices in the Hauptbahnhof and at the Roemer. For more information, visit www.museumsuferfrankfurt.de.
