German
Theatre
Museum
The world's most important collection on the history of European theatre — set designs, costumes, posters, actor graphics, around 350,000 objects. Housed in the classicist Hofgarten arcades, Galeriestraße 4a.
Theatre history as a collection
Established in 1910 by the Bavarian court actress Clara Ziegler in her villa by testamentary bequest, the German Theatre Museum is today one of the three most important institutions of its kind worldwide. Holdings: around 350,000 objects — set design drawings (including by Ludwig Sievert, Caspar Neher, Robert Wilson), costumes, prints, posters, actor portraits, theatre drawings, manuscripts. Focus: German-language theatre from the 16th to the 21st century, plus an extraordinary Italian collection.
Since 1953 in the classicist Hofgarten arcades at Galeriestraße 4a — Klenze had built the arcade wing in 1816–1817 as an extension of the Residence ensemble. The interiors have shown changing exhibitions ever since; the library and study room are freely accessible for research.
Further reading.
More in the
University Quarter.
The other buildings of the area — galleries, museums, classicism, industrial history.