Exhibition rooms of the Winckelmann Museum in Stendal

Museum in Saxony-Anhalt

From the Sky Disc to Bauhaus: Places of History, Art, and Ideas

Between Halle (Saale) and Magdeburg, between Dessau and Wernigerode, Wittenberg and Stendal lies a museum landscape that tells stories and brings history to life.

For example, the Nebra Sky Disc, a find that provides an exciting glimpse of the world 3,600 years ago. And in exhibitions that arouse curiosity because they create connections - between eras, styles and world views.

Saxony-Anhalt has more than 200 museums, spanning 400,000 years of history in a small area. These include places with a global reputation, such as the Bauhaus in Dessau or the Luther House in Wittenberg. The topics range from the earliest history of mankind to industry, technology and pop culture.

Museum Highlights in Saxony-Anhalt

State Museum of Prehistory Halle

At the center is the Nebra Sky Disc - a bronze disk with gold plating, 3,600 years old. It shows the sun, moon and stars: the oldest concrete depiction of the heavens known to mankind. But the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle is much more: the extensive archaeological collection tells of the life, beliefs and knowledge of early societies. Interactive media and a well-structured presentation of the permanent and special exhibitions make the museum a place where time becomes tangible.

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Exterior view of the State Museum of Prehistory Halle (Saale)
Exterior view of the State Museum of Prehistory Halle (Saale)
Large lecture hall with visitors in the Lutherhaus Wittenberg
Large lecture hall with visitors in the Lutherhaus Wittenberg

Luther House Wittenberg

Martin Luther's former home is now the largest museum of Reformation history in the world. This is where Luther wrote his 95 theses. Manuscripts, books, furniture and everyday objects make the life and work of the Reformer tangible. The original dining room, where Luther's table speeches were written, is particularly impressive. Together with the neighboring Melanchthon House, the Luther House in Wittenberg forms an impressive ensemble.

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Bauhaus Museum Dessau

The Bauhaus was a university that radically combined art, crafts and technology in a new way after the First World War - with the aim of improving people's living conditions through modern design. The exhibition at the Bauhaus Museum Dessau sheds light on the work of Bauhaus masters and their ideas for design, everyday life and society. The museum is complemented by the historic Bauhaus sites in Dessau: the iconic Bauhaus building by Walter Gropius, the Masters' Houses and the arcade houses. Architectural history thus becomes a walk-in experience.

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Exterior view at night of the Bauhaus Museum Dessau
Exterior view at night of the Bauhaus Museum Dessau
Exterior view of the Moritzburg Art Museum in Halle (Saale)
Exterior view of the Moritzburg Art Museum in Halle (Saale)

Moritzburg Art Museum Halle

The late Gothic Moritzburg is a special building in itself - and in combination with the works on display, it creates an extraordinary museum experience. Here, old architecture meets works of classical modernism. Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Lyonel Feininger, Wassily Kandinsky - the collection in the Moritzburg Art Museum brings together important names with a regional connection. The museum also presents changing exhibitions. A place for concentrated viewing and quiet discoveries.

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Winckelmann Museum Stendal

The Winckelmann Museum in Stendal is dedicated to the life and work of Johann Joachim Winckelmann, the founder of classical archaeology and art history. In addition to original writings and objects, the exhibition conveys his significance for European cultural history. A special highlight is the walk-in Trojan Horse in the museum garden, which brings history to life in a playful way.

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Trojan horse in the Winckelmann Museum Stendal
Trojan horse in the Winckelmann Museum Stendal
Magdeburg Riders in the Kaiser Otto Hall of the Museum of Cultural History Magdeburg
Magdeburg Riders in the Kaiser Otto Hall of the Museum of Cultural History Magdeburg

Museum of Cultural History Magdeburg

A house with many voices: From the Ottonian roots of the Imperial Palace to the present day, the Museum of Cultural History in Magdeburg spans the history of the city. At the heart of the collection is the Magdeburg Horseman - the oldest free-standing equestrian statue north of the Alps. There are also special exhibitions on European cultural history, complemented by the neighboring Cathedral Museum Ottonianum and the art museum in the Romanesque Monastery of Our Lady.

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Discover More: Special Museums

Wernigerode Castle combines 19th-century architecture, interior design, and art. The collections showcase bourgeois home decor, paintings, and furniture from centuries past—all nestled within a castle complex overlooking the Harz landscape. At the Francke Foundations, visitors encounter the educational philosophy of the Enlightenment. The Baroque chamber of curiosities, historic classrooms, and themed exhibitions transport visitors to a time when education became a public project. And the Leopoldina in Halle, the oldest continuously operating academy of sciences, offers insights into the history of science and current research through events and guided tours.

The Hugo Junkers Technical Museum in Dessau is dedicated to the pioneer of aircraft construction and heating technology. Exhibited models, original parts, and interactive elements bring technical history to life, focusing on inventive spirit and industrial development. The Wernigerode Aviation Museum complements this spectrum with a diverse collection: historical aircraft, machines from film productions, jets, and helicopters, as well as a flight simulator, bring the history of aviation to life and make it an interactive experience. The Beatles Museum in Halle covers the band's beginnings to their global impact. The collection is one of the most extensive of its kind. Those interested in Baroque music will find insights into the life of composer George Frideric Handel at the Handel House in Halle – with historical instruments, multimedia presentations, and events related to his work.

The Anhalt Picture Gallery is located in Georgium Palace, in the heart of the Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz. It displays works from six centuries, including Dutch painting, German Romanticism, and classical modernism. In Quedlinburg, the Lyonel Feininger Museum is dedicated to the Bauhaus artist with a calm, focused presentation – complemented by special exhibitions on modern graphic art.

The Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz is an 18th-century landscape artwork featuring parks, palaces, and sightlines that combine education, nature, and aesthetics. With its statues of benefactors, Naumburg Cathedral offers a glimpse into high medieval sculpture, embedded in an exhibition on church history. In Quedlinburg, visitors encounter more than 2,000 half-timbered houses, a medieval townscape, and museums that bring the layers of this history to life.

Lime blossom festival at the Francke Foundations
Lime blossom festival at the Francke Foundations

Museum Events

Museums today are more than just exhibition spaces. In Saxony-Anhalt, they are places of dialog and community. International Museum Day, Open Monument Day in September, Museum Night in Halle, World Heritage Day or Culture Night in Magdeburg - they all open up new approaches. With special formats, free admission and discussions at eye level.

Exhibition room of the Marienborn Memorial

Discover All Museums!

If you want to delve deeper, you can find background information, current projects and an overview of all museums on the website of the Saxony-Anhalt Museum Association.

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