The museum's collection was established through the will of Johann Friedrich Städel, who bequeathed his entire fortune and art collection to the city of Frankfurt.
The 2012 underground extension, known as the 'Garden Halls,' is covered by a roof featuring 195 circular skylights that illuminate the galleries below.
The museum holds the only painting by Johannes Vermeer in Germany, titled 'The Geographer'.
During the Second World War, the museum’s core collection was moved to regional shelters to prevent destruction, and the building itself was severely damaged by Allied bombing.
The Städel's print collection is one of the most important of its kind in the world, though only selections are ever on public display to preserve the fragile paper.
The Städel Museum is Germany's oldest museum foundation, housing a collection that spans 700 years of European art history. Located in Frankfurt, its collection features works from the early 14th century through to contemporary pieces. Key movements represented include the Renaissance, Baroque, and 19th-century modernism. The institution holds over 3,000 paintings, 600 sculptures, and 100,000 drawings and prints. Its building complex integrates a historic 19th-century villa with an expansive underground expansion completed in 2012. The collection includes notable works by Botticelli, Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Monet. The museum operates as a non-profit foundation established by banker Johann Friedrich Städel in 1815. Visitors can explore permanent displays and rotating special exhibitions in a single cohesive campus.
The central lawn above the underground expansion, which offers a unique architectural view of the circular skylights against the historic villa backdrop.
Use the free audio guide app on your own device to access expert commentary while moving through the galleries.
Check the digital collection website before visiting to identify specific works you wish to see, as the physical space is too large to view thoroughly in one visit.
Visit the library or cafe located within the museum complex for a break between gallery wings.
Trying to see the entire collection in a single visit, which leads to museum fatigue; focus on specific eras or collections.
Closed on Mondays.
Large bags and backpacks must be stored in lockers; photography for private use is permitted without flash or tripods.
