The "crown jewels"
On the first floor of the Museum im Zeughaus you will find the so-called "crown jewels" of the city, which exemplify the history of the city of Wittenberg. These include, for example, a "giant rib" from Frederick the Wise's collection of relics. You can also take a closer look at the Lord Mayor's chain of office. The centerpiece of the crown jewels and the real highlight of the exhibition is the miniature view, created with great attention to detail, which shows the city in 1873. Try to find the subtle differences to today's Wittenberg on the 20 square meter model.
Wittenberg through the centuries
On the second floor of the Museum of City History you will find the permanent exhibition "Wittenberg through the centuries". Experience the history of the town up close with over 400 original exhibits. Travel back to the time before there was a real town in the area and experience the changes through the Middle Ages and early modern times to the here and now. A little tip: In addition to the exhibits in the Museum of City History, you will also find exciting information on the very early history of the region around the Ascanians in the Historical City Information Center in the town hall.
Collection of Julius Riemer
On the second floor, you can admire numerous exhibits from the famous collector Julius Riemer in the permanent exhibition Riemers Welt. Discover exhibits from all over the world in the only permanent ethnological exhibition in Saxony-Anhalt, with a focus on Africa and Oceania. The natural history section is also well worth a visit, as there are not only primates and reptiles on display, but also the skeleton of a giant eel.
Special exhibition
Special exhibition at the Zeughaus: Linguistic minorities in Europe
Apart from the 24 official languages spoken today, numerous minority languages are spoken in the European Union. The new special exhibition at the Zeughaus is dedicated to some of these population groups, many of which are hardly known in the majority societies of Europe. More than 20 linguistic minorities are presented through historical illustrations and numerous ethnographic objects and works of art from four centuries.
Special attention is given to the history and culture of the Sorbs, which reveals exciting regional connections to the history of Central Germany and Wittenberg. In the Wittenberg area, the ‘Wendish’ language probably survived into the early modern period – an aspect that makes the exhibition particularly relevant for regional history and cultural education.
The special exhibition will be on display at the Zeughaus from 19 December 2025 to 28 June 2026.
