German Christmas Museum, Rothenburg

The German Christmas Museum is a unique institution. Spanning approximately 250 square meters, the museum offers a deep dive into the evolution of German Christmas traditions from the Middle Ages to about 1950. It displays an array of enchanting items that have colored the German Yuletide landscape throughout history, ranging from ornaments and decorations to toys and artifacts.

The collection boasts remarkable items crafted from a variety of materials, such as glass, cotton, wool, paper, wax, and metals, as well as Dresden cardboard. These meticulously curated pieces represent the diversity and creativity that underpins German Christmas craftsmanship.

The museum further includes specific exhibition areas showcasing collections of Santa Clauses, Christmas angels, nutcrackers, tree stands, paper Nativity scenes, lamps, Advent calendars, and Erzgebirge pyramids. One of the primary highlights is a striking 5,000-piece display of Christmas tree ornaments, a notable private Austrian collection that has been generously loaned to the museum. In addition, a large private collection of nutcrackers significantly enriches the exhibition.

Visitors to the German Christmas Museum are first introduced to German Christmas traditions and the history of the Christmas tree, a German invention. Thereafter, they embark on a journey through several rooms packed with captivating exhibits.

This pioneering museum is an extension of the Käthe Wohlfahrt brand and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, not only from its home in Rothenburg, but also from subsidiaries in Oberammergau, Garmisch, Heidelberg, Rüdesheim, and Nürnberg, Germany. It also appeals to visitors from international branches located in picturesque towns like Riquewihr in France, Bruges in Belgium, and as far as Stillwater, Minnesota in the United States.