Zinnfigurenklause, History museum in Schwabentor, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
The Zinnfigurenklause museum sits inside a medieval watchtower in Freiburg's center and presents history through detailed dioramas filled with handmade figures. The displays spread across two floors and show scenes from different periods of the region's past.
Arthur-Andreas Lehmann, a trained compositor and castle-model collector, opened his Zinnfigurenklause opposite the inn "Schiff" in May 1961. In 1969 mayor Eugen Keidel gave him the first floor of the then unused, dilapidated Schwabentor, and the second floor followed later. The city bought twelve of Lehmann's dioramas up to 1985; after his death in 1989 Andreas Müller founded the sponsoring society that still runs the museum.
The tiny tin figures show regional events and everyday life from different periods, offering views of history you would not otherwise see. They give you a direct sense of how people in this area lived and shaped their world.
A visit takes just one or two hours to see all the dioramas. The two floors are connected by narrow stairs, so keep that in mind if you have mobility concerns.
The figures require constant care because tin gradually corrodes and loses detail over time. Some miniatures need regular repainting or even complete recasting to stay true to their original appearance.
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