Discover Nuremberg: Museums, history and special places

Nuremberg can be explored through a wide range of themes: medieval architecture, museums, memorial sites, crafts and special collections. The following places show which cultural highlights can shape your stay.

Museums and medieval city history

The Toy Museum showcases historic toy treasures and modern toys across 1,400 square metres. Examples include Lego, Barbie, Playmobil and Matchbox. The City Museum at the Fembo House tells the story of more than 950 years of city history. It is housed in Nuremberg’s only surviving late Renaissance merchant’s house, in the heart of the Old Town.

The Imperial Castle is also one of Europe’s most significant medieval imperial palaces. Areas open to visitors include the Romanesque double chapel with a late Gothic crucifix by Veit Stoss, the Deep Well with a 47-metre-deep shaft, and the Sinwell Tower. You can also see an extensive collection of weapons and equipment. Current access details may change; check them before your visit.

The Imperial Castle Museum complements the visit to the castle with a permanent exhibition. It covers the castle’s architectural development, its historical significance and the development of weapons through the Middle Ages. Individual exhibits may change, while these themes remain the exhibition’s main focus.

Memorial sites and local history

At the former Nazi Party Rally Grounds in Nuremberg, a comprehensive information system provides an opportunity to learn about the Nazi Party rallies on site. The grounds by Nuremberg’s Dutzendteich lake are now used as a recreational area and event venue. Historical reflection and present-day use coexist here; specific event dates vary. Check the latest access information before your visit.

The Memorium Nuremberg Trials provides information about the Nuremberg Trials at the original site. Parts of the original dock from Courtroom 600, along with historical audio and film documents, convey an impression of the proceedings. This gives the site a different focus from the Imperial Castle: here, the trials and their historical records take centre stage.

Art, crafts and exhibitions

The three-part organ at St. Lorenz Church has more than 12,000 pipes and 165 stops. Another walk-through work of art is the Way of Human Rights. It consists of 27 concrete pillars, each eight metres tall. One article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is engraved on each pillar, as well as on the intervening pillar oak and two ground slabs—in German and, in each case, another language.

At the Nuremberg Craftsmen’s Courtyard, you can watch craftspeople at work. Traditional crafts still practised there include gingerbread making, leatherworking, glass painting and glass grinding, pottery, pewter casting, wood burning and goldsmithing. This lets you experience craftsmanship not only by looking at finished objects, but also by watching the work in progress.

The architecture of the New Museum Nuremberg provides a setting for modern art, design and temporary exhibitions. The specific exhibition programme may vary. The Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt, by contrast, is closely associated with the figure of the Nuremberg Christ Child and is a seasonal attraction. If you are interested in the market, take its seasonal nature into account when planning your visit.

Special experiences and collections

Nuremberg Zoo includes the Dolphin Lagoon, the tropical-themed Manatee House and the children’s zoo. Another special attraction is the miniature railway “Little Eagle”: a true-to-scale 1:2 replica of the first German railway. Individual animal presentations and operating arrangements may change; check the latest information if you are planning a visit for a specific date.

Beneath the city, the Historic Rock-Cut Cellars are another notable attraction. They comprise more than 20,000 square metres of rock cellars and are considered the largest connected rock-cellar labyrinth in southern Germany. Visits to the Historic Rock-Cut Cellars are possible only as part of a guided tour. After a tour of the underground cellars and the Altstadthof brewery, you can sample traditional Nuremberg red beer. As tour arrangements may change, check the latest visitor information in advance.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Boxdorf, Worzeldorf, Feucht, Hersbruck, Engelthal, Reichenschwand, Kirchensittenbach and Röthenbach An Der Pegnitz.

Back to the main travel overview: Nuremberg Land.