Collections
A visit to the Musée Unterlinden covers nearly 7,000 years of history, from the prehistoric era to 20th century art.
Whilst travelling in time amidst the museum’s encyclopaedic collections, visitors can also discover the multiple facets of its architecture, which have been unified and enhanced by the architects Herzog & de Meuron. The Medieval cloister presents the art of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, with works by the likes of Martin Schongauer, Hans Holbein and Lucas Cranach, as well as the museum’s great masterpiece, the Isenheim Altarpiece (1512–1516) by Grünewald and Niclaus of Haguenau.
The former baths building inaugurated in 1906 provides a perfect space for temporary events, whilst the works of major 20th century artists such as Monet, de Staël, Picasso and Dubuffet have a new showcase in the contemporary wing.
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Upcoming exhibition
170 years – Celebrating with you!
To mark its 170th anniversary, Colmar’s Musée Unterlinden is organising celebrations for its visitors based around an anniversary exhibition running from 14 October 2023 to 4 March 2024. The visitors of the museum will be invited to travel through time and history in the heart of the museum, as they explore the permanent collections, view previously unseen works taken from the reserves or loaned by partner museums and engage with innovative interpretation tools and numerous forums for expression.
Restoration of the Isenheim Altarpiece
The Isenheim Altarpiece, the monumental polyptych created between 1512 and 1516 by the painter Grünewald and the sculptor Niclaus of Haguenau, is the masterpiece of the collection at Colmar’s Musée Unterlinden. Having been regularly maintained and revarnished since the 18th century, it underwent an exceptional full restoration project beginning in 2018 (covering everything from the painted panels and sculptures to the frames and more), with visitors able to observe the completion of the process in late June 2022.