The Palais Rohan is the grandest building on the Grande Île after the cathedral, a classical palace built in the 18th century for the powerful Rohan family, prince-bishops of Strasbourg, on the riverbank beside the Batorama landing stage. Today it houses three of the city’s museums under one roof. The Decorative Arts Museum includes the sumptuous state apartments of the cardinals, with their period furniture, tapestries and gilded salons, and a fine collection of Strasbourg faience and silver. The Fine Arts Museum displays European painting from the late Middle Ages to the 19th century, with Italian, Flemish, Dutch and French masters. Downstairs, the Archaeological Museum traces the long history of Alsace from prehistory through the Roman and Merovingian periods. Together they make a rewarding half day, and an ideal plan for a cold or wet afternoon. Note that the much-loved Musée Alsacien, the city’s museum of Alsatian folk life, is closed for works until June 2028, so the Palais Rohan is the place to start your museum visits. This page links to the Musées de Strasbourg site, where you can check hours and exhibitions.
How to visit: the palace is at 2 Place du Château, opposite the south side of the cathedral. The museums are closed on Tuesdays; on weekdays they open from 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 18:00, and on Saturdays from 10:00 to 18:00 without a break. In the holiday season they close early, at 16:00, on 24 and 31 December, and are closed on 25 December and 1 January, as well as on 11 November. Each museum charges a modest entry fee, and a pass for the city museums is good value if you plan several.
What to expect: the state apartments are the highlight for most visitors, a rare complete set of 18th-century princely rooms. The Fine Arts Museum is compact and calm, and the archaeology galleries in the basement are good for older children. Expect few crowds, even during the Christmas market.
Making the most of it: plan around the weekday lunch break and the Tuesday closure, and combine your visit with the cathedral’s 12:30 astronomical clock show next door. The Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame, across the square, keeps the cathedral’s original sculptures and follows different hours, closing on Mondays rather than Tuesdays.
What to expect
The experience
Three separate museums in one 18th-century palace: princely state apartments with decorative arts, a fine arts gallery and an archaeology museum.
Best time
A weekday morning before the lunch break, or a Saturday when the museums open straight through; avoid Tuesdays, when they are closed.
How long
Two to three hours for all three museums, or an hour for the state apartments alone.
Tips
Check the weekday lunch closure from 13:00 to 14:00 and plan the cathedral clock show at 12:30 to fill the gap.
Quick picks
- Best for
- History and art lovers, and anyone looking for a rewarding indoor plan on a cold day.
- Families
- The archaeology galleries appeal to older children; younger ones may tire in the painting galleries.
- Couples
- A quiet, elegant afternoon in the cardinals’ gilded salons, followed by a drink on the cathedral square.
- Pair with
- The cathedral and its astronomical clock across the square, or a Batorama boat tour from the landing stage behind the palace.
- Time needed
- Two to three hours.
Good questions
Which museums are in the Palais Rohan?+
The palace houses the Decorative Arts Museum with the state apartments, the Fine Arts Museum and the Archaeological Museum. Each has its own ticket.
When are the Palais Rohan museums closed?+
They are closed on Tuesdays and on holidays such as 11 November, 25 December and 1 January. On 24 and 31 December they close at 16:00.
Do the museums close for lunch?+
Yes, on weekdays they close from 13:00 to 14:00. On Saturdays they stay open from 10:00 to 18:00.
Is the Musée Alsacien open?+
No, the Musée Alsacien is closed for works from July 2025 until 1 June 2028. The Palais Rohan museums are the best alternative in the old town.
Where is the Palais Rohan?+
It is at 2 Place du Château, on the south side of the cathedral and beside the river. The Batorama landing stage is right behind it.