Germanisches Nationalmuseum

Germanisches Nationalmuseum (GNM), museum in Nürnberg, Germany, housing the largest collection of cultural history in German-speaking countries. The vast permanent collection contains more than one million unique pieces, which date from prehistoric times to the present day.

One of the largest museums in Europe, the GNM offers an extensive overview of German history, culture, and art. The museum was founded in 1852, but the original building that housed the collection was destroyed in World War II. Today the collection resides in a modern structure that incorporates architectural elements of the Carthusian monastery that once existed on its grounds.

The museum’s permanent exhibition documents various periods of German history. Neolithic tools offer insights into the country’s earliest cultures. Jewelry from antiquity, including a 3,000-year-old golden headdress and a bejeweled eagle fibula, show the skill and innovation of early artisans, and an impressive display of armour and weaponry represents the changes in warfare, hunting, and tournaments from the German Middle Ages to the 18th century. Works of nearly every major German artist are housed in the GNM, and perhaps most noteworthy of all is its collection of works by German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. Scientists are well represented with the inclusion of such items as Martin Behaim’s Nürnberg Terrestrial Globe, the oldest existing globe. Textiles, folk art, sculpture, painting, and crafts highlight Germany’s changes and its contributions to various fields. The museum’s other holdings include a toy collection and a renowned display of historical musical instruments.

In addition, the Germanisches Nationalmuseum has an extensive archive and library, which contains bells, coins, and medals as well as half a million books on the history of European art and culture. The Kaiserburg Museum, located in the Imperial Castle of Nürnberg, also operates under the auspices of the GNM.