Strasbourg Museums – Which one to visit?

Strasbourg Museums Map

5th place

Two in one! Le 5e lieu is both a boutique promoting the city’s cultural offerings and an exhibition gallery upstairs. A rewarding and instructive tour of Strasbourg’s past and present.

Supported by models, showcases, photos and animated films, thepermanent exhibition “A Journey to Strasbourg” traces the city’s construction and development, and lets you see its architectural heritage evolve through the centuries. A very large digital map shows how the city has expanded over the ages.

I warmly recommend this museum, which is a good introduction to Strasbourg, with a beautiful view of Cathedral Square and the Kammerzell House, whose details you can observe at the terminal. Le 5ème also offers an attractive program of temporary exhibitions, workshops and themed tours throughout the year.

Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

To fully appreciate the architecture of the Musée d’art moderne te contemporain, simply climb the Ponts Couverts. Its exterior walls are covered with a gigantic 1000m2 street art fresco (created in 2008 for the museum’s 20th anniversary by the Faile collective), its imposing glass nave and its bronze horse perched on the roof.

The works are spread over two floors. From Impressionism to Surrealism to New Realism, the permanent collection includes almost 18,000 works. Paintings, sculptures, engravings, drawings, photos and installations from 1870 to the present day. All the major artistic movements are represented, and all the great names in contemporary painting are present, from Monet and Picasso to Kandinsky, Arp, Beckmann and Baselitz.

The first floor houses the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. You’ll also find areas dedicated to the work of Gustave Doré (including a monumental work measuring 9×6 m), the reconstruction of Kandinsky’s Salon de Musique and temporary exhibitions. The 1st floor houses temporary exhibitions and a café. MAMCS offers 3 to 4 major temporary exhibitions a year.

Alsatian Museum

Creaky wooden floors, a building in its original state, a rustic atmosphere, kelsch fabric and bottle-bottom windows, the Musée alsacien is a successful plunge into the everyday life of Alsatian families. Founded in 1907, it is housed in three beautifully preserved 17th-century half-timbered buildings.

The museum retraces life in rural Alsace in the 18th and 19th centuries, with a wealth of objects and 26 rooms covering a wide range of themes: housing, work, costumes, customs, crafts, religion and stages of life. The kitchen, bedrooms, stub (living room) and craftsmen’s workshops (pharmacy-herbalist) are faithfully recreated.

More than 50,000 items from the 18th to the 21st century are on display (clothing, toys, ceramics, kitchen utensils, religious objects, jewelry…), grouped by theme. Alsatian folklore will hold no secrets for you!

Historical Museum of the City of Strasbourg

The Musée Historique de Strasbourg is housed in a symbolic building, the Grandes Boucheries de Strasbourg, which operated from 1587 to 1899. Spanning five floors, it is entirely devoted to the history of the city from the Middle Ages to the present day and is a favourite of several of this blog’s authors!

The Museum is organized chronologically around 3 major chapters of history: the free city of the Holy Roman Empire (1262-1681), the revolutionary city (1681-1800) and the European capital (19th and 20th centuries). Whether works of art, everyday objects or military artefacts, the museum offers a thematic and often interactive tour. Don’t miss Strasbourg’s 72 m2 relief plan, a reconstruction of the city created in 1727 as part of the city’s strategic defense strategy.

I recommend thefree audio-guide for true immersion and to make sure you don’t miss out on any essential information. And to keep things chronological, start your visit at the nearby Archaeological Museum.

Museum of Decorative Arts

Housed in the former residence of the prince-bishops, the Palais Rohan is divided into the King’s apartments and a collection of decorative arts (furniture, painting, sculpture, ceramics, silverware, etc.) from the 17th to the 19th centuries.

On the ground floor of the Palais, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs houses an important collection of earthenware – mainly tableware – by the Hannong dynasty, whose factory gave way to the hotel of the same name (one of our favorite Strasbourg hotels, by the way).

Before entering the decorative arts wing (the former stables), you first pass through the grand Synod Hall (dining room), the sumptuous library and the royal apartments. Initially built in the mid-18th century (1732-42) for the prince-bishop of Strasbourg, the Palais Rohan served as a residence for his successors, and also welcomed kings of France (Louis XV) and emperors (Napoleon 1st).

Museum of Fine Arts

Located on the second floor of the Palais Rohan, the Musée des Beaux-Arts brings together paintings from the beginnings of European painting to the mid-19th century.

Among the pictorial currents and artists on display are German, Flemish and Italian primitives (Giotto), the great masters of Spanish painting (Goya) and the Italian Renaissance (Raphael), as well as 19th-century French Romantics and Realists (Delacroix, Courbet, Corot). Twenty rooms featuring biblical scenes, battle scenes, landscapes, still lifes and portraits of nobility.

The museum boasts a number of masterpieces, including Nicolas de Largillière’s “Belle Strasbourgeoise “, whose costume is on display at the Musée Historique.

Archaeological Museum

Located in the basement of the Palais Rohan, this 18th-century museum is also the city’s oldest. Sculptures, figurines, ceramics, jewelry and ornaments, weapons and other ancient relics, it is entirely devoted to the history of Strasbourg and Alsace, covering periods from Prehistory to the Middle Ages. For a complete trip back in time, combine your visit with a visit to the Alsatian and Historical Museums.

Tomi Ungerer Museum

Jean de la Lune was born under his pencil stroke. He sketched American society with his sharp eye, and explored themes such as the environment and war. Brilliant cartoonist, multi-award-winning illustrator, committed artist and native of Strasbourg, Tomi Ungerer has enjoyed international success.

Illustrations for children’s books, satirical, erotic and advertising drawings, he was a complete and prolific artist. His works and a collection of toys are displayed in 3 rooms, one of which is in the basement.

With a catalog of 8,000 works bequeathed to the city, the Tomi Ungerer Museum presents a rotating selection (3 major exhibitions a year) of 300 works by Strasbourg’s most New Yorker. The museum, inaugurated in 2007, also hosts temporary exhibitions.

Alerte bons plans!

La Strasbourg City Card

Pour visiter Strasbourg à prix réduit, la Strasbourg City Card est un bon plan: valable 7 jours, elle donne accès à des réductions pour plusieurs musées, une promenade en bateau, la montée à la plateforme de la cathédrale, une location de vélo… Intéressant, d’autant qu’elle ne coûte vraiment pas cher! Achetez votre Strasbourg City Card ici. 

Le Pass Alsace

Pour optimiser votre séjour en Alsace et visiter un maximum de lieux tout en ménageant votre porte-monnaie, place au Pass ! Musées, hauts-lieux touristiques, le Pass Alsace vous donne accès à plus de 60 sites (parcs animaliers, châteaux, activités…). Des réductions sont également appliquées sur certaines attractions, visites guidées et promenades en bateaux-croisière. Le Pass est disponible en plusieurs formules : 5 jours, 3 jours, MiniPass’ 48h, MiniPass’24h. Adulte ou enfant, il s’achète pour 1 personne. Achetez votre Pass Alsace ici. 

Le Museum Pass

Autre bon plan, le Museum Pass qui ouvre quant à lui les portes de 350 musées allemands, français et suisses pendant un an. Il vous coûtera la modique somme de 119€, mais c’est un achat très vite rentabilisé. Il est valable durant un an pour 1 adulte et 5 enfants. Plutôt destiné à un public de locaux ou si vous prévoyez de venir plusieurs fois dans la région. Achetez votre Museum Pass ici.

Musée de l’Oeuvre Notre-Dame

Statues and architectural elements (originals from Strasbourg Cathedral), objets d’art, altarpieces, tapestries, goldsmith’s and silversmith’s work, as well as paintings and sculptures, this museum boasts a fine collection of medieval and Renaissance art from Strasbourg and the Upper Rhine region. A chronological tour takes us through the ages: from Romanesque to Gothic, the late Middle Ages, the Renaissance to the 17th century.

Wooden galleries and staircases lead from room to room and from one building to another, forming a tortuous whole. The highlight of the visit is the two remarkable buildings in which it is housed – dating from the 13th (the Gothic wing) and 16th centuries. (the Renaissance wing) – and the Cathedral’s stained-glass windows and adjoining medieval garden (closed in winter).

Vodou Museum

The Musée Vodou is a rather unusual three-storey museum housed in an equally unusual building – a former water tower – and boasts an important collection of 1,200 West African objects. Travel souvenirs accumulated over almost 20 years by a passionate collector, owner of the water tower, the collection and founder of the museum.

Masks, amulets, divinities, costumes – all the pieces have been used in voodoo ceremonies and rites. Between spirituality, religion and culture, this is a unique and exotic museum that sheds a different light on the voodoo cult. It’s a great way to get started, and to demystify the superstitions and mysteries surrounding the practice.

Le Vaisseau, THE children’s museum

Le Vaisseau is undoubtedly a must-see museum for children in Strasbourg. It’s a place dedicated to scientific discovery and fun learning for children. From the age of 3, young visitors can enjoy activities adapted to their level.

Le Vaisseau offers explorations in a variety of fields, such as “Être Humains”, where children can discover how the human body functions, “Je fabrique” to understand the mechanisms of objects, “L’Eau” to experiment with the properties of this element, or a section dedicated to animals, logic and creativity… A really great museum in Strasbourg to discover with the whole family!

Location in Europe

Le Lieu d’Europe is a little-known museum in Strasbourg, but an interesting one if you’re interested in the European Union. Strasbourg is the European capital, along with Brussels, so it makes sense to take a tour on this theme during your stay in Strasbourg. You can of course visit the European Parliament, but the Lieu d’Europe is an excellent complement!

L’Aubette 1928

Aubette 1928 is one of Strasbourg’s museums. It is located on the second floor of the building of the same name on Place Kléber and is free of charge. It’s not big, and I don’t know if I’d necessarily call it a “museum”, but it’s an unusual and interesting place: when you visit Strasbourg, I’d advise you to push open the door and take a look!

Indeed, in 1928, this space was a leisure complex whose main feature was that it was decorated by artists Hans Jean Arp, Sophie Taeuber-Arp and Theo Van Doesburg. L’Aubette was conceived as a “total work of art”(Gesamtkunstwerk), which was completely covered over from 1938 onwards, and has been fully restored since 2006.

Today, you can admire the ciné-dancing (ciné bal), the staircase with its imposing stained-glass window, the village hall and the foyer-bar. It’s beautiful, original, and has a lovely view of Place Kléber!

Chocolate Secrets Museum

From manufacturing secrets to tastings, young and old alike will enjoy this taste-bud-tingling experience. After a visit to the Les Secrets du Chocolat Museum – and a few tastings along the way – you can get your hands dirty with cocoa paste by taking part in a discovery workshop: you’ll leave with your creations of the day. A great time with or without kids. A visit to the store is a must, and it’s hard to leave empty-handed. You can book your tickets here.

MM Park Museum

The MM Park Museum is located in La Wantzenau, north of Strasbourg. This is a museum exhibiting an important private collection dedicated to the Second World War. The collection of an enthusiast who has decided to share it with visitors. Weapons, costumes, numerous military vehicles… No less than 7,000m2 await you!

The museum is also a great idea for activities with children, with a dedicated play area.

Zoological museum

The zoological museum is the museum that tells natural stories to young and old alike. An entertaining and interesting museum to raise awareness of local and global flora and fauna. Please note that the museum is closed for renovation until 2025.