Karlsruhe Palace

In 1715, Margrave Karl Wilhelm von Baden-Durlach founded the palace and town of ‘Carols Ruh’ in the middle of the Hardtwald forest. The city of Karlsruhe became famous for its fan-shaped layout radiating out from the palace: 32 axes radiate out from the central palace tower, intersected by a compass line. For almost 200 years, Karlsruhe Palace served as the residence and seat of government of the Margraves, and later the Grand Dukes of Baden. In November 1918, the last reigning Grand Duke, Friedrich II, fled from the revolutionary Baden troops. Karlsruhe Palace thus lost its function as a residence. Since 1919, the palace has been the seat of the Badisches Landesmuseum.

Today, Karlsruhe Palace is a landmark and cultural centre in the heart of the fan-shaped city. Karlsruhe Palace has been closed since 29 September 2025 due to extensive renovation work.

On 29 September 2025, preliminary measures for the renovation began. With the general renovation by Vermögen und Bau Baden-Württemberg, Karlsruhe Office, one of the biggest changes in the museum's history has begun. But before the actual construction work can begin, a mammoth logistical task lies ahead: around 17,500 objects must be secured, documented and packed.

What happens in the first six months after closure?

The restorers and technical services have begun returning around 350 permanent loans – a process that is expected to be completed by Christmas 2025: a half-timbered gable is travelling back to Eppingen, and the Egyptian mummy is leaving Karlsruhe for the Rosgarten Museum in Konstanz. "The return of the permanent loans is necessary for organisational reasons: it allows us to make room for the renovation and gives the owners the opportunity to store their works themselves or make them available to other institutions," explains Director Prof. Dr Eckart Köhne. Returns from the Baden department are also planned: sports memorabilia from tennis legend Steffi Graf and ski jumper Dieter Thoma will be returned to their prominent lenders. 

However, the museum is not only returning objects, it is also sending its own on journeys: the famous statue of Amun from the Badisches Landesmuseum will be on loan to the Egyptian Museum in Turin for the duration of the renovation work. ‘The statue of Amun is a highlight of our collection. It is therefore all the more wonderful that it will remain accessible to an international audience in Turin during the castle renovation before returning to Karlsruhe, where it is already firmly planned to be included in the new permanent exhibition,’ says Köhne.

At the beginning of 2026, the Badisches Landesmuseum will continue with a large-scale campaign: the remaining objects in the collection will now be removed step by step from walls, pedestals and display cases, documented and professionally packed. This requires the utmost care, as many of the pieces are fragile or of impressive size. "Our exhibition coordinators, the team of restorers and the technical service have extensive experience in handling unusual objects

At the beginning of 2026, the Badisches Landesmuseum will continue with a large-scale campaign: the remaining objects in the collection will now be removed step by step from walls, pedestals and display cases, documented and professionally packed. This requires the utmost care, as many of the pieces are fragile or of impressive size. "Our exhibition coordinators, the team of restorers and the technical service have extensive experience in handling unusual objects – from the finest porcelain and medieval UNESCO manuscripts to the assembly and dismantling of the 18-metre-long Blue Tent from Krakow or the Tomba della Nave, an Etruscan chamber tomb. This expertise gives us the confidence to move even the most difficult pieces responsibly. At the same time, packing is an inventory of our treasures – a special moment, as many of the objects have not been moved for decades and can now be examined up close for the first time," says Köhne.

At the same time as these comprehensive measures are being carried out, exhibitions and projects will continue in the museum's other branches. In January 2026, the team of restorers at the Keramikmuseum Staufen will be preparing an Art Nouveau exhibition. In Baden-Baden, the museum café will be given a new design, and from May onwards, the exhibition ‘Bloom up! The Language of Flowers’ will be set up there, opening on 13 June 2026.

‘We are often asked: Do you actually have anything to do during the renovation? That makes us smile,’ says Köhne. "In fact, there is more work than ever: transport logistics, new projects and, at the same time, preparations for the new furnishings and reopening. But one thing is clear: the renovation is urgently needed. The palace needs this renovation – with energy modernisation, a better indoor climate, accessibility and fire protection. And our visitors deserve a museum that has been conceptually renewed: with a high quality of stay and exciting exhibitions."

We'll stay in touch!

Even during the closure, the palace remains present: with echo – the digital magazine of the Badisches Landesmuseum – the museum allows its audience to participate when the most beautiful pieces are packed and transported, permanent loans are returned, or the restorers have something new to report. We will also provide updates here, on our social media channels, and in our newsletter.