Museum of Art

This museum chronicles the history of Bayreuth from a small Franconian village to one of the most culturally-important small cities in Germany. The 17th century building provides a suitable setting for the historical collections.

The museum in the main pedestrian shopping area highlights the life, geology and mineralogy during the last 500 million years of Upper Franconia. In front of the museum looms a giant dinosaur statue, along the main shopping street.

The court chapel and tower were also commissioned and built by Friedrich and Wilhelmine, completed in 1758. The burial vault of the Friedrich and Wilhelmine is located here. The spiral staircase in the tower features a ramp to bring supplies up to the guardroom, which has a great view over the town and to the nearby Fichtelgebirge.

The baroque opera house, commissioned by Margravine Wilhelmine and designed by famous Giuseppe Galli Bibiena and son Carlo from Italy, was completed in 1748 and remained Germany's largest opera house until 1871. This ornate opera house partially drew Richard Wagner's attention to Bayreuth. In 2012 the opera house was added to the list, and its refurbishment was completed in 2018.