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 The German National Museum has recently (1995)
undergone a major renovation of its entrance, lobby area, bookshop and
restaurant, giving it a feeling of being a very modern museum. This is in start
contrast to the displays beyond the lobby.
While beer steins and other drinking vessels are not a featured display in this museum, they are displayed in a few different areas and intermingled with other antiques of the 17th through 19th centuries. One wing of the museum has an entire room devoted to medieval armor. Above the armor room, one can find most of the antique beer steins housed in this museum. Included are some excellent examples of faience, silver and stoneware. The Nürnberg faience factory is of course well-represented here. Some very fine porcelain steins can also be seen, including 18th century Meissen. Some magnificent ivory steins can also be found in this room. Rooms in other wings display ancient glass, including many drinking vessels. An impressive display of furniture from the 19th century and earlier is accented with small decorative items, including many faience and glass beer steins. Visitors can pick up a guide at the entrance, of which an English version is available. This will enable you to visit the areas of primary interest. A thorough tour of the museum with only minimal viewing time would take at least a few hours. Located within the old walls of the city of Nürnberg, at Kartäusergasse 1, only a five minute walk from the main train station, and about a ten minute walk from the old market. Hours are 10-5 Tuesday-Sunday, closed Monday. They remain open until 9 on Wednesday. Photography allowed without flash. |
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Reproduced with the permission of Gary Kirsner Auctions. This article first appeared in "The Beer Stein Journal", February 1995. |
~ Germanisches National Museum ~