Discover Murnau a.Staffelsee

Art and history at the Schloßmuseum

The Schloßmuseum Murnau displays works by Gabriele Münter, as well as works by artists from the New Artists’ Association Munich and Der Blaue Reiter. The artists represented include Wassily Kandinsky, Marianne von Werefkin, Alexej Jawlensky, Franz Marc and Heinrich Campendonk. The museum also houses the largest publicly displayed collection of Gabriele Münter’s works. Visitors interested in this art will find several artists and Münter’s work brought together under the same museum theme.

Art history is connected with the history of the town. The Schloßmuseum presents the art and literary history associated with Murnau in the first third of the 20th century and explores the distinctive features of the Alpine foothills, as well as Murnau’s local traditions and culture. The Münter House offers insights into the lives of the artists associated with it. Together with the museum, it provides another way to explore how artists were connected with Murnau—a possible focus for visitors who enjoy exploring cultural topics on their trip.

Following in the footsteps of Ödön von Horváth

Literature, too, is part of Murnau’s history. The Schloßmuseum devotes an extensive exhibition to the playwright Ödön von Horváth. He lived mainly in Murnau from 1924 until his politically forced departure in 1933. There he wrote, among other works, the plays “Zur schönen Aussicht” and “Italienische Nacht,” and began the novel “Jugend ohne Gott.”

A literary walk through Murnau follows in Horváth’s footsteps. It extends the view beyond the museum to the town that played a part in his life and writing. Visitors who want to compare art and literature can consider both as different ways of exploring Murnau’s history; the literary walk gives particular emphasis to Horváth’s connection with the town.

Local traditions and an international collection

The Schloßmuseum also showcases two traditional local crafts: feather flower making and reverse glass painting. Both offer insights into Murnau’s artisanal traditions. The international Dammert Collection, featuring works from Europe and Asia, offers a different perspective. It complements local crafts with art from a broader geographical context. Visitors with varied interests can therefore include local crafts and an international collection in their explorations, alongside art and literary history.

The Murnauer Moos and discoveries around town

The Murnauer Moos lies south of Murnau and offers a clear contrast to the town’s cultural attractions. As the largest contiguous moorland area in Central Europe, it is a distinctive landscape nearby. You can give the town and its surrounding landscape different weight when deciding what kind of trip you want: would you like to focus on art and literature, or also include the nearby moorland? A holiday apartment in Murnau a.Staffelsee can serve as a base for a stay planned around these interests.

The historic old town can also be explored independently or as part of a guided town tour. An art walk offers another activity for visitors in Murnau. Alongside the museum themes, there are therefore different ways to discover the town: on your own, on a guided tour or with a focus on art. For families and other travel groups, the choice may depend on whether everyone wants to explore one topic together or combine different interests over the course of the trip.

Discover more places: Hechendorf, Farchant, Wallgau, Grainau, Bad Kohlgrub, Uffing am Staffelsee, Ettal, Oberau.

Back to the main travel overview: Garmisch-Partenkirchen.