Herrnhut Museum of Ethnology

The Herrnhut Museum of Ethnology holds objects from Alaska, Africa, Asia, and America displayed in a dedicated exhibition space. The collection presents artifacts that offer insights into the cultures and lifestyles of these regions.

The museum was founded in 1878 to preserve objects collected by Moravian Church missionaries starting from 1732 during their mission work. This collection marks the beginning of ethnographic interest within European missionary activities.

The collection displays clothing, tools, and everyday objects that show how people in different parts of the world lived and worked. Visitors can see the practical ways communities organized their homes and developed their crafts.

The museum is located at Goethestraße 1 and offers guided tours led by historians and collection managers for adults and families. Visitors should arrange a visit in advance to get the most from their time there.

The museum preserves detailed written observations from missionaries that serve as primary sources for linguistics, geography, botany, and zoology research. These notes make the collection particularly valuable for scholars studying these fields.

Location: Herrnhut

Inception: 1878

Part of: Ethnographical State Collections of Saxony, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden

Address: Goethestraße 1, 02747 Herrnhut

Phone: +49(0)35149144261

Email: voelkerkunde.herrnhut@ses.museum

Website: https://voelkerkunde-herrnhut.skd.museum

GPS coordinates: 51.01903,14.74061

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:02