The Prince Max Palace

The Stadtmuseum (Karlsruhe City Museum) is housed in the 'Prinz-Max-Palais' - a location rich in history. The magnificent town house was erected between 1881 and 1884 for the banker August Schmieder. After his death, Prince Max of Baden acquired the stately home as his (and his family's) permanent residence.

In the Second World War, the building was almost completely destroyed during an air raid. After its reconstruction, the Prinz-Max-Palais became the seat of the Federal Constitutional Court from 1951 to 1969. In 1969, the City of Karlsruhe acquired the now listed building and rented it to Pädagogische Hochschule (College of Education).

Following extensive renovations, the Prinz-Max-Palais acquired a new use from 1981 as a municipal culture centre. Today, it brings together under one roof Stadtmuseum (City Museum), the library for children and young people of Karlsruhe's municipal library and the Museum of Literature on the Upper Rhine as well as the Literarische Gesellschaft (Literary Society).