Burg Wissem Museum der Stadt Troisdorf, Picture book museum and historic castle in Troisdorf, Germany
Burg Wissem is a museum in Troisdorf housed in a castle with a rectangular structure, water moats, two diagonal corner towers, and a classicist building on its south side. The grounds contain multiple areas including the picture book museum, a nature portal, and an industrial history museum.
The castle originated during the Merovingian period as a water fortress and became the ancestral seat of the Lords of Troisdorf. It was first documented in 1474 and shaped the region's history for centuries afterward.
The castle has housed Europe's only museum dedicated to picture book art and youth literature illustration since 1982. Visitors find a collection spanning roughly a century, showing how the artistic styles of children's book illustration have evolved over time.
The museum opens Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00, allowing visitors to explore both the castle and its surrounding grounds. The nature portal offers free entry, while the other sections require paid admission.
The museum holds the world's largest collection of original Janosch drawings, a permanent loan the illustrator granted in 1999. Its shelves also include the Brüggemann collection of around 2,000 historic children's books, the oldest dating to 1498, and a Red Riding Hood collection of over 800 items given by a Swiss couple in 2002.
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