Art, culture and history under one roof - at the Museum of Art and Cultural History at Gottorf Castle, the worlds of life, visual worlds and contemporary testimonies of Schleswig-Holstein come together.
The Museum of Art and Cultural History at Gottorf Castle is part of the museum ensemble on the Museum Island in Schleswig and is home to one of the richest collections of cultural history in northern Germany. With around 120,000 exhibits ranging from medieval art to the present day, it spans an impressive arc through the artistic and social development of the region.
The permanent exhibition presents art, sacred objects, furniture, handicrafts and everyday objects in historically grown collections. Particularly impressive is the reconstructed Gottorf Globe, the famous baroque model of the world, which is considered to be one of the first planetariums in the world. In the adjoining baroque garden, which has been reconstructed according to the historical model, the ensemble unfolds its full splendor - a place where art, architecture and nature are in harmony.
Gottorf Castle Castle Chapel © Stiftung Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesmuseen/Marcus Dewanger
Another highlight is the Gottorf Castle Sculpture Park, where over 50 works from the 19th century to the present day are presented outdoors. The park creates a fascinating dialog between sculpture, landscape and history. The museum's holdings include valuable works from the ducal collection, paintings from the Renaissance to the modern era, outstanding examples of North German arts and crafts and unique furniture ensembles. With the planned reopening of the "Gallery of Modern Art", the art of the 20th and 21st centuries will also be brought to life in a new form from 2026.
