The Museumsufer & Städel: Frankfurt's Museum Mile

When visitors ask me what really distinguishes Frankfurt culturally, my answer is almost always: the Museumsufer. Along the southern bank of the Main, one museum lines up after another over just a few hundred metres — one of the densest and most varied concentrations of museums in Europe. Here you’ll find world art, film, design, sculpture and much more, and in the middle of it the famous Städel. Let me explain which houses are worthwhile, what a visit costs and how to make the most of your time.

The Städel Museum: the crown of the mile

The Städel is the most important and best-known house on the riverbank. Founded in 1815 as a civic foundation, it’s regarded as the oldest and most renowned museum foundation in Germany. Its collection offers an almost seamless overview of more than 700 years of art history — from the early 14th century to the present. It comprises around 3,100 paintings, some 660 sculptures, over 5,000 photographs and more than 100,000 drawings and prints. Here hang works from the old masters to classical modernism and contemporary art.

Opening hours and tickets (as of 2026)

• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursdays until 9 p.m. Closed on Mondays.
• Tuesday Special: every Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. you visit the collection and all special exhibitions for €10 — a real bargain and my saver tip.
• Regular prices: normal admission is higher (around €16 to €18); during the week it’s often cheaper than at the weekend.

My advice: book a time slot online in advance, especially for big special exhibitions and at the weekend. That saves you the queue. And allow enough time — the Städel is large, and you won’t have seen it in an hour.

The other houses on the Museumsufer

As worthwhile as the Städel is, the Museumsufer has much more to offer. Between the Eiserner Steg and the Friedensbrücke lie around a dozen museums, each with its own focus. Among the most important are:

• Liebieghaus — an outstanding sculpture collection in a historic villa, from antiquity to classicism.
• German Film Museum (DFF) — all about the history, technology and magic of film, with interactive stations.
• Museum Angewandte Kunst — design, fashion and applied art in a striking building.
• Museum der Weltkulturen — non-European cultures and ethnology.
• German Architecture Museum (DAM) — for anyone interested in building and the city.
• Museum für Kommunikation — the history of post, telephone and media, exciting for children too.

Added to these are further smaller houses, on icons, on the Bible or on 19th-century art, for example. There’s something for every taste.

My most important tip: not everything at once

The most common mistake is trying to “work through” as many museums as possible in one day. It’s overwhelming and no fun. My advice: pick one or two houses that genuinely interest you and take your time over them. Explore the rest on a future visit, or round it off with a relaxed walk along the riverbank.

Saving with the MuseumsuferTicket and Card

If you want to visit several houses, you should use the combined offers. The MuseumsuferTicket is valid for several days and for a large number of the museums on the riverbank and in the city — ideal for a long weekend. The MuseumsuferCard is valid for a whole year and pays off for frequent visitors. Note that for big special exhibitions with international loans there are sometimes restrictions, where a separate ticket may be required. The Frankfurt Card brings discounts too.

The Museumsuferfest

A yearly highlight is the Museumsuferfest on the last weekend in August. Then the riverbank turns into an enormous stage with music, stalls and a grand closing fireworks display over the Main. Hundreds of thousands celebrate here — if you’re in Frankfurt at that time, be sure to drop by. The museums often have extended opening hours then.

Practical tips

• Getting there: on foot over the Eiserner Steg from the old town, or by U-Bahn/S-Bahn and tram to Sachsenhausen.
• Mondays: many houses, including the Städel, are closed on Mondays — plan accordingly.
• Saver day: the Städel Tuesday Special (Tue 3–6 p.m., €10) is the cheapest opportunity.
• Book online: secure a time slot in advance, especially for special exhibitions.
• Combine: one museum plus a riverbank walk with a skyline view makes a well-rounded half day.
• Check current exhibitions: the special exhibitions change — a look at the respective website is worth it before your visit.

Conclusion

The Museumsufer is Frankfurt’s cultural treasure chamber: a dozen museums in the tightest space, crowned by the Städel with its more than 700 years of art history. My advice: don’t spread yourself too thin, but choose deliberately, use the combined tickets and the cheap Tuesday at the Städel — and treat yourself to a walk along the Main in between. That way visiting the museum mile becomes a pleasure rather than a chore. And if you’re there at the end of August, don’t miss the Museumsuferfest.