Museum of Applied Arts in Leipzig serves as Germany's second oldest decorative arts institution, tracing its origins back to 1874 when it was founded as the Kunstgewerbemuseum. Today, it forms a vital component of the renowned Grassi Museum complex located on Johannisplatz.
Housing around 90,000 items of European and non-European origin, the institution features an expansive collection of decorative arts spanning all eras since antiquity. Its holdings are particularly renowned for exceptional exhibits originating from the 1920s and 1930s.
Related Stories
Get the Latest Sports News from Seymour's Bird
Receive the latest updates on football, basketball,and technology news directly in your inbox. It's free!
SubscribeMore than 2,000 items remain on permanent display across curated exhibitions such as From Antiquity to Historism and Asian Art. Visitors can also explore historical highlights like the Roman Hall, which features panels salvaged from a demolished palace in Eythra.
Beyond its exhibition spaces, the institution maintains a comprehensive graphics collection with over 50,000 works, a photographic archive of 75,000 items, and a specialized library containing approximately 60,000 titles.
Resilience and Evolution Through Decades of History
Recognized as a cultural lighthouse by the German government, the museum plays a pivotal role in preserving the heritage of the former East Germany as a valued member of the Konferenz Nationaler Kultureinrichtungen.
Resilience and evolution have defined the institution's journey, especially after its relocation to the New Grassi Building in 1926. World War II brought devastating destruction, with numerous invaluable exhibits lost to allied bombings.
Structural damage to the building forced the suspension of permanent exhibitions between 1981 and 1994, pausing public access for over a decade. A comprehensive refurbishment project took place from 2001 to 2006 to restore the historic facility.
Following an official name change to Museum of Applied Arts in 2005, the institution successfully unveiled its modern permanent exhibitions in 2007. This milestone marked a triumphant new chapter for the venerable German cultural landmark.