The striking museum building on Wilhelmshöher Allee, inaugurated in 1913, reopened in November 2016 after extensive renovation and redesign. The permanent exhibition provides insights into the technique of hand axe making, shows how the wealthy ladies of the Bronze Age adorned themselves or the difficulties the missionary Boniface had to contend with. Works of art from churches and monasteries, from towns and villages and above all from the possessions of the Hessian landgraves bear witness to the splendid court culture and the collecting zeal of the princes. Thus, the objects make it possible to understand international political relations, but also the everyday life of people in the Middle Ages and in modern times.
The folklore collection has its origins in the 19th century, when the national consciousness of the middle classes led to a reflection on the cultural values of their own people. Selected objects provide insights into people's everyday lives from the beginning of the 19th century to the present and document the rapid pace of technological change.
