World City Guide

Further Distractions

Jüdisches-Museum (Jewish Museum)
Until the Holocaust, Frankfurt was home to Germany’s second largest Jewish population, many of whom played a key role in the city’s financial and cultural success. The story of this important community from the 12th to the 20th century, is told in the Jewish Museum, housed in the Rothschild Palais (a mansion that was the former home of the Rothschilds). The remains of Mikvah (women’s ceremonial baths) in the former Jewish ghetto and special exhibitions are displayed in the supplementary Judengasse Museum (Jewish Alley Museum).

Untermainkai 14-15
Tel: (069) 2123 5000.
Website: www.juedischesmuseum.de

Judengasse Museum
Kurt-Schzumacher-Strasse 10
Tel: (069) 297 7419.
Website: www.juedischesmuseum.de

Historisches Museum (Historical Museum)
The Historical Museum is housed in a complex of imperial buildings overlooking the Main, which also includes the 12th-century palace chapel. The museum traces the story of Frankfurt (including its destruction in World War II) and visitors can learn about the traditions of Äppelwoi in the museum café. There are guided tours on the last Saturday of each month.

Saalgasse 19
Tel: (069) 2123 5599.
Website: www.historisches-museum.frankfurt.de

Geldmuseum der Deutschen Budesbank (Money Museum of the German Federal Bank)
The Money Museum is a sign of the changing times. In this Deutsche Bundesbank building, an extensive historical collection of coins and paper money has finally been made accessible to the public. The museum also explains the complex nature of monetary policy (especially the new European system) using films, challenging computer games and interactive teaching programmes.

Wilhelm Epsteinstrasse 14
Tel: (069) 9566 3073.
Website: www.geldmuseum.de

Haus Giersch Museum Regionaler Kunst (Haus Giersch Museum of Regional Art)
This newcomer on the Frankfurt museum scene is devoted to work from artists from the Rhine-Main region and is a wonderful way for culture-keen visitors to get a taste of the regional artistic fare. Taking its place alongside Frankfurt’s finest institutions on Museumsufer, the bright, airy and thoroughly contemporary gallery hosts two changing exhibitions on art and art-historical themes. The one constant exhibit is the building itself, the neoclassical Villa Holzmann.

Schaumainkai 83, Museumsufer
Tel: (069) 6330 4128.
Website: www.museum-giersch.de