Learn about the philosophy of the influential Weimar-based Bauhaus school and see examples of Bauhaus art, architecture and design.
A must-see for art and architecture enthusiasts, the Bauhaus Museum is dedicated to the 20th-century art movement of the same name, which originated here in Weimar. Learn about the philosophy developed in the influential art school and the Nazi pressure that led to the school’s demise. See examples of paintings, drawings and objects created by Bauhaus followers.
The museum was first founded back in 1995, when a small exhibition opened up in the art museum on Theaterplatz. The collection has since developed and expanded and is due to launch in a newer, bigger space to coincide with the Bauhaus centenary in 2019.
Find out more about the origins and development of Bauhaus’ educational facilities. The school, which was founded by architect Walter Gropius in Weimar in 1919, aimed to remove the hierarchical distinctions between fine arts and crafts and championed functionalism.
Examine works from artists who taught at the school, including founder Walter Gropius as well as Otto Bartning, Lyonel Feininger and Johannes Itten. The museum also features works made by students of the school, such as AlmaSiedhoff-Buscher and Marcel Breuer. Inspect ceramics, chairs and household objects such as kitchenware as well as paintings, sculptures and photographs. The museum also covers Bauhaus building design and the huge influence it had on modern architecture.
Read about the evolution of Bauhaus ideas and the differing approaches of its leader. The museum also examines the impact the increasingly powerful Nazi party had on the school, which was moved from Weimar first to Dessau before later relocating to Berlin. By the 1930s, the school was under immense political pressure from the Nazi regime, who disapproved of Bauhaus teachings and the Berlin school closed in 1933.
Find the Bauhaus Museum on Theaterplatz in the center of Weimar’s old town, less than 5 minutes’ walk from the Church of St. Peter and Paul. The museum is open every day except Tuesday. There is an entrance fee.
