Akademisches Kunstmuseum, Archaeological museum in Bonn, Germany
The Akademisches Kunstmuseum is an art and archaeological museum in Bonn focused on ancient Mediterranean cultures. The collection brings together plaster casts of ancient sculptures alongside original objects such as pottery, bronze tools, and jewelry from excavation sites.
The museum was founded in 1818 as part of the newly established University of Bonn. Over the course of the 19th century, the collection grew through donations and purchases from scholars and private collectors with an interest in Mediterranean antiquity.
The museum's name comes from its origin as a teaching collection for the University of Bonn, founded in 1818. Its first director, Friedrich Gottlieb Welcker, held the chair of archaeology from 1819 to 1854. Students still study the plaster casts and originals directly, and the collection is arranged by style rather than by showpiece.
The museum is currently operating from a temporary location while its historic building undergoes renovation, so it is worth checking the current venue before your visit. The university district where it is based is easy to reach on foot or by public transport from the city center.
Several of the plaster casts in the collection were made from originals that are today either damaged or no longer accessible to the public, making the copies the only way to see certain works. In a few cases, the original sculptures were later lost or destroyed, leaving the cast as the sole surviving record of what they looked like.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,468 contributors worldwide.
