7 must-see museums in Colmar
Colmar is a charming town, known for its half-timbered houses, canals and typical Alsatian atmosphere. But did you know that the city is also home to several interesting museums? Whether you're a lover of art, history or local culture, here are the museums not to be missed on your visit to Colmar.
Summary
- 1. The Musée Unterlinden: a must-see!
- 2. The Toy Museum: back to childhood
- 3. The Bartholdi Museum: in the footsteps of the creator of the Statue of Liberty
- 4. The Hansi Museum: an immersion in Alsace of yesteryear
- 5. Chocostory, the chocolate museum
- 6. Alsace Wine Museum
- 7. The museum area of the Dominican Library
1. The Musée Unterlinden: a must-see!
The Musée Unterlinden is Colmar’s flagship museum. Housed in a former Dominican convent, it boasts an impressive collection ranging from the Middle Ages to modern art. Its masterpiece? The Issenheim Altarpiece, an exceptional work of Renaissance art. But that’s not all: there are also paintings by great masters, sculptures and objets d’art. A must-see if you love art history!
2. The Toy Museum: back to childhood
The perfect museum for a family visit! The Musée du Jouet in Colmar offers a varied collection of toys from yesterday and today: dolls, miniature trains, board games… All in a well-thought-out scenography that will delight young and old alike. And yes, adults too will fall back into childhood: we bet that, like us, you’ll exclaim with emotion at the toys that lulled your childhood!
3. The Bartholdi Museum: in the footsteps of the creator of the Statue of Liberty
Did you know that Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, sculptor of the Statue of Liberty, was born in Colmar ? His former home is now a museum dedicated to his work. Here you’ll discover models, sculptures and documents tracing his work. A museum that will appeal to those interested in history and sculpture. And if you want to see the Statue of Liberty, there’s one in the middle of a roundabout at the entrance to Colmar 😉
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4. The Hansi Museum: an immersion in Alsace of yesteryear
Jean-Jacques Waltz, known as Hansi, was an Alsatian illustrator famous for his drawings depicting life in Alsace in the early 20th century. The Hansi Village retraces his work and immerses visitors in an idealized Alsace, full of color and tradition. A short but charming visit that will appeal to lovers of regional culture as well as history, since the political context plays an important role in Hansi’s drawings.
5. Chocostory, the chocolate museum
Food lovers beware! Choco Story Colmar is a museum dedicated to chocolate in all its forms. Here you can discover the history of cocoa, the techniques used to make it and, of course, taste different varieties of chocolate. A fun, immersive visit for the whole family.
6. Alsace Wine Museum
Located in downtown Colmar, right next to Choco-story, the Musée des Vins d’Alsace is a new museum offering an immersive discovery of the region’s winegrowing history and traditions. An interactive tour introduces visitors to emblematic grape varieties, winemaking techniques and the importance of wine in Alsatian culture. The tour, enhanced by an audioguide available in several languages, concludes with a wine or grape juice tasting.
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7. The museum area of the Dominican Library
The Dominican Library is more than just a place to read. It also offers a museum trail through its heritage collections, housed in a superb Gothic building that has been completely renovated. Illuminated manuscripts, incunabula, old maps… We plunge into several centuries of the history of the book through a careful and didactic staging. A quiet and interesting place, a little off the beaten tourist track.