Cologne City Museum

Our new permanent exhibition

New location – New design

From 23 March 2024, we will be welcoming you to 13 Minoritenstraße in the former Franz Sauer fashion house.
You can experience a museum in the heart of Cologne that tells the city’s history in a completely different way—surprising, innovative and entertaining.

Look forward to unconventional perspectives, modern presentations, elaborate interactive and inclusive offers and above all, of course: unique exhibits!

We retell the history of the city!

A former department store has been completely remodelled for the museum. Not only the modern exhibition design is new, but also the view of the city’s past and present. At the centre of the exhibition questions are posed such as “What do we love?”, “What frightens us?” and “What connects us?” in the Middle Ages, a century ago and today?

These questions provide completely new, personal approaches to the city’s history and reveal surprising parallels.

An emotional journey through time

The exhibition tour thus becomes an emotional journey through time. Impressive exhibits from all eras tell of love: for the city, for music or for Cologne’s global landmarks such as the cathedral; of uprisings and scandals that make people angry; of the fear of persecution, war and death; of moving or unifying moments and far more.

The whole of Cologne in one museum

Exciting and sometimes unknown stories stand alongside each other—there are medieval artefacts next to modern ones.

Are you curious?

Join in and have fun!

At many points in the exhibition, interactive stations give you the opportunity to play, get involved and leave opinions or comments. Having fun is therefore highly encouraged!

Our MultiMedia Guide also ensures an exciting museum experience with many highlight tours and special offers.

A museum for everyone

Inclusion and accessibility were among the key objectives when redesigning the exhibition. In terms of both the spatial design and the content, we have orientated ourselves to contemporary standards in order to offer everyone a comprehensive museum experience. All floors are accessible; a lot of information can be experienced tactilely and many exhibits explicitly state “Touching allowed!” for visually impaired people. Our MultiMedia Guide offers numerous other barrier-free functions.

 

public guided tours (in German only)

Do. 19.06.
15:30 Uhr

Stadt. Geschichte. Anders: Acht Fragen. Damals, heute und morgen

Für: Erwachsene | Von: Museumsdienst Köln | Treffpunkt: Foyer | Teilnahme: kostenlos | zzgl. Eintritt | Rahmenprogramm zu: „Die neue Dauerausstellung – KÖLN NEU ERZÄHLT!“, 23.03.2024 - 31.12.2025

mehr
So. 22.06.
11:00 Uhr

Kaleidoskop Stadtgeschichte – Geschichte mal anders...

Für: Kinder ab 8 Jahren | Von: Museumsdienst Köln | Mit: N.N. | Reihe: Kinderführung | Treffpunkt: Foyer | Teilnahme: kostenlos | zzgl. Eintritt | Anmeldung bis: 20.06.2025

Anmeldung
mehr
So. 22.06.
14:00 Uhr

Stadt. Geschichte. Anders: Die Kölner Stadtgeschichte mit acht Fragen betrachtet

Für: Familien | Von: Museumsdienst Köln | Mit: N.N. | Reihe: Familienführung | Treffpunkt: Foyer | Teilnahme: kostenlos | zzgl. Eintritt

mehr

acitivities (in German only)

Sa. 21.06.
14:00 - 16:00 Uhr

Workshop | Kölnisches Stadtmuseum

Die Stadt der Türme und Tore

Für: Kinder 6 bis 10 | Von: Museumsdienst Köln | Mit: Mira Parthasarathy | Reihe: Kinderwerkstatt | Treffpunkt: Foyer | Preis: € 9,00 | Material: € 2,00 | Anmeldung bis: 19.06.2025

Anmeldung
mehr
Do. 26.06.
15:00 - 17:00 Uhr

Vortrag | Kölnisches Stadtmuseum

Zu Gast bei Freunden – Eine Stunde Stadtgeschichte im Gartenzimmer des Museum Schnütgen Die Geschichte des Benediktinerklosters in Köln Deutz

Für: Erwachsene | Von: Arbeitskreis des Kölnischen Stadtmuseums Museum Schnütgen | Mit: Dr. Marianne Hünseler | Treffpunkt: Kasse Museum Schnütgen | Teilnahme: kostenlos | zzgl. Eintritt

mehr

Guided tours can be booked for groups and are available in a variety of languages.

Führung

Guided tour: The Museum Flat in Höhenberg – At home back then

Oxblood-red floorboards, Bakelite light switches and one of the first electric ovens - a tour of Cologne on the right bank of the Rhine is a journey back in time! In the Germaniasiedlung, a historic 1920s housing estate in Höhenberg, GAG and the Cologne City Museum have faithfully restored a flat according to historical findings in order to show the living conditions of the time. Here you can gain exciting insights into work and leisure 100 years ago.

Please note: The Museum Flat is not barrier-free!

Duration: 60 minutes | Group size: max. 15
The guided tour is free of charge
The museum flat is not permanently accessible. Please book in good time. | Further information bei: ipeksirena.krutsch@stadt-koeln.de

Groups of more than 15 people will be split up and guided through the Museum Flat at different times. During this time, there will be a short guided tour of the Germania estate.

Führung

Guided tour: City. History. A different approach: With eight emotions through Cologne's city history

The Cologne City Museum reopened on the 22nd of March 2024 in the former Franz Sauer fashion house.
You can look forward to an innovative permanent exhibition that tells the history of the city of Cologne in a completely new way, with all its facets, contradictions and different perspectives! The focus is on emotions that we all can relate to! The new permanent exhibition asks eight questions not only addressing the past and the present of the city of Cologne, but also her visitors. In this way, historical events and objects are related in an unusual way, revealing surprising parallels.

Duration: 60 minutes | Group size: max. 20
Price all-inclusive: € 75 | reduced € 50 | weekend/holiday: plus € 10 | foreign language: plus € 10 | plus entrance fee | several groups: 2, with time-shifted start

 
 
 

current Exhibition

Die neue Dauerausstellung – KÖLN NEU ERZÄHLT!

DE Für die neue Dauerausstellung wurde ein ehemaliges Kaufhaus komplett umgestaltet. Durch das moderne, ästhetische Ausstellungsdesign, die unkonventionellen Blicke auf die Vergangenheit und Gegenwart der Stadt sowie die vielen interaktiven und inklusiven Möglichkeiten nimmt das neue Haus eine Vorreiterrolle in der Museumslandschaft ein. So haben Sie Köln noch nie gesehen!

 

Address

Kölnisches Stadtmuseum
Minoritenstraße 13

Verwaltungseingang / Postanschrift
Postal address and administrative entrance:
Kolumbahof 3
50667 Köln

T 0221 - 221-22398  
F 0221 - 221 24154
koelnisches.stadtmuseum@stadt-koeln.de

Opening hours

Tue to Sun 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Every 1st Thu of each month: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
closed on Mondays

Admission

Tickets are valid for one day.

Permanent collection
Adults: 5,00 €
Concession: 3,00 €

Combination ticket (special exhibitions and permanent collection)
Adults: 7,50 €, concessions: 5,00 €

Free admission for children up to 6 years, for Cologne residents up to 18 years, students (incl. 2 teachers per group), holders of the KölnPass, Cologne residents on their birthday

Free admission to the permanent collection on the 1st Thu of each month (except public holidays): for Cologne residents

Accessibility

Toilets for disabled persons, lift, ground floor and 1st floor suitable for wheelchair users. Two marked parking spaces for disabled visitors in front of the museum

Public transport

Public transport
rail service, local trains (S-Bahn): "Hauptbahnhof" (10 Min walk)
underground: "Appellhofplatz/Zeughaus"
Car Parks
Am Dom / DuMont-Carré / Börsenplatz