The Kurpfälzisches Museum, the Museum of the Electoral Palatinate, is housed in the Palais Morass, a baroque townhouse on the Hauptstraße in the heart of the Old Town. Its collections trace the region from prehistory to the present, with Roman finds, medieval sculpture, paintings from the Renaissance to the Romantic period, graphic art, and a set of views of Heidelberg that show how the city has appeared to artists. The museum is best known for the Twelve Apostles Altar by Tilman Riemenschneider, a late-medieval masterpiece, although parts of it may be off view while conservation work is prepared. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Mondays and a few holidays, and entry is cheap, free for visitors up to sixteen and for holders of the city card. Special exhibitions are priced separately and change through the year.
The museum is a good counterweight to the castle crowds. Expect rooms of well-lit paintings, including portraits of electors and Romantic landscapes of the Neckar valley that explain why English and German travellers fell for Heidelberg in the nineteenth century. The archaeology sections cover Roman settlement along the Neckar and earlier finds from the region, and the sculpture rooms hold church art from the late Middle Ages that survived the wars and reformations.
Plan your time around the special exhibitions, which often cover fashion, photography and regional history, and which carry a supplement over the standard ticket. An audio guide is included with the ticket, a thoughtful extra that makes the visit feel guided without a group. Rooms are on several floors, so ask about step-free access if you need it. Allow about an hour and a half for a normal visit.
Good to know
The museum is closed on Mondays, on 24, 25 and 31 December, on 1 and 6 January, on 1 May and on Shrove Tuesday, but open on most other public holidays. Entry on Sundays and holidays is cheaper than on weekdays. The museum is a short walk from the Marktplatz and the Church of the Holy Spirit, so it fits into an Old Town day. On a rainy afternoon it is one of the best indoor choices in the city.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided museum visit with an included audio guide, plus paid special exhibitions.
Best time
Weekday mornings for quiet rooms, or any rainy afternoon.
How long
About an hour and a half.
Tips
Remember the Monday closure, check the special exhibition supplement and take the audio guide. Some parts of the Riemenschneider altar may be off view during conservation work.
Quick picks
- Best for
- History and art lovers and anyone needing a good indoor stop in bad weather.
- Families
- Younger children get less from it, but the archaeology and paintings suit older ones.
- Couples
- A quiet cultural hour before an Old Town dinner.
- Pair with
- The Church of the Holy Spirit, the Student Prison and the Hauptstraße.
- Time needed
- One and a half hours.
Good questions
When is the Kurpfälzisches Museum open?+
It is open Tuesday to Sunday, from ten in the morning to six in the evening. It is closed on Mondays and on a handful of holidays.
Who gets in free?+
Visitors up to and including sixteen, university students, and holders of the city card can enter the permanent exhibition free. Special exhibitions are reduced for card holders.
What is the museum best known for?+
The Twelve Apostles Altar by Tilman Riemenschneider is the highlight, alongside paintings, archaeology and views of Heidelberg. Check whether the altar is fully on view.
Is an audio guide included?+
Yes, the audio guide is included with the permanent exhibition ticket. Special exhibitions cost extra.
Where is it?+
The museum is in the Palais Morass on the Hauptstraße in the Old Town. It is a short walk from the Marktplatz.
