KOENIGmuseum | Opening Hours & Events

The KOENIGmuseum in Landshut is a special place for all who appreciate sculpture, extraordinary architecture, and vibrant cultural mediation. Hidden beneath the wooded Hofberg, the museum hugs the historic city wall as an underground structure and provides an impressive stage for the work of the internationally significant sculptor Fritz Koenig (1924–2017). Upon entering the old town, visitors are just a few minutes' walk from the entrance in Prantlgarten and are led through a series of rooms with clear lines and reduced materials directly into a world of bronze, plaster, and paper, alive with light, proportion, and silence. Here, Koenig's sculptures and graphics meet changing exhibitions of contemporary sculpture, complemented by guided tours, workshops, and events. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM; special regulations apply on selected holidays. For your navigation system, the museums of the city of Landshut recommend the address Alter Franziskanerplatz 483; follow the signs to the KOENIGmuseum, address Am Prantlgarten 1. Parking garages, public transport, and short walking distances allow for a relaxed arrival – and the architecture beneath the hill ensures a consistently weather-independent exhibition experience.

Opening Hours and Planning Your Visit: How to Make the Most of Your Day at KOENIGmuseum

Those planning a visit to Landshut benefit from clearly regulated times and reliable visitor information. The KOENIGmuseum is currently open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. On Christmas Eve, the Christmas holidays (December 24/25), December 31, and Shrove Tuesday, the museum remains closed. At the start of the new year, it opens on January 1 at 2:00 PM. Easter Monday and Whit Monday are open, making it easier to plan holiday outings. During the ongoing special exhibition, this schedule is particularly helpful as it allows you to reserve fixed time slots for guided tours and workshops. Since the museum building is located beneath the Hofberg, the climate inside is constant and the visit is independent of rain, snow, or heat – a plus in uncertain weather conditions. Our recommendation: Come right at opening if you want to experience the rooms in special tranquility, or plan your tour for early afternoon. For families, a visit followed by a round in the old town is ideal; the paths are short, and restaurants and cafés are in close proximity. Please note that children may only visit the exhibition when accompanied by an adult. Groups and school classes should ideally register in advance; the museums offer fixed contingents for guided tours and coordinate dates with you. If you wish to combine several museums of the city of Landshut in one day, use the combination ticket – the opening hours of the other locations generally also lie between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM, allowing you to plan your routes efficiently. Tip for navigation systems: The museums explicitly recommend entering 'Alter Franziskanerplatz 483, 84028 Landshut' and then following the signs for 'KOENIGmuseum' to Prantlgarten; this way, you avoid small alleys that some systems may incorrectly suggest. Last-minute visitors can find current information on holiday and special openings on the official museum pages. Those coming in winter will find an intimate atmosphere in the calm, clear light of the rooms; in summer, you can enjoy the coolness of the underground building as a refreshing contrast to the bustling old town. Either way: With a little advance planning for tickets or guided tours, your visit will be comfortable and manageable.

Events and Current Exhibitions at KOENIGmuseum

The KOENIGmuseum has been showcasing the special exhibition 'Patricia Piccinini. Welcome Guest' since October 26, 2025, creating an exciting dialogue between contemporary sculpture and the work of Fritz Koenig. Until February 22, 2026, the works of the Australian artist will be in the spotlight; they resonate at points with selected exhibits by Koenig. The majority of the Koenig sculptures are housed in the accessible display depot – a special offering that makes the creation, materiality, and presentation of the oeuvre comprehensible. Accompanying the exhibition, regular formats such as curator-led tours, public walks, workshops for adults and families, artist talks, and special events take place. For January 2026, for example, a curator-led tour (Friday, January 9, 2026), public tours (Saturday, January 10, 2026), and a workshop (Sunday, January 11, 2026) are announced. Additionally, the museum occasionally offers extraordinary mediation formats such as poetry slam events that focus on the dialogue between art and the audience. Dates and tickets are continuously published in the museum's event calendar; booking in advance secures your spot, especially on weekends. Even after the end of the special exhibition, the KOENIGmuseum continues its program line with changing exhibitions on sculpture, graphics, and themes from the Koenig cosmos. Historically significant in recent years were biographical presentations for the artist's 100th birthday ('Life Stations') as well as thematic exhibitions on memorials, material studies, and work relationships. Lectures, architectural tours through the underground museum building, or collection presentations often accompany the respective themes. The advantage for visitors: You can choose your focus – quiet tour, intensive guide, workshop format – and tailor the dramaturgy of your stay accordingly. Those discovering the museum with children will find methodically illustrative approaches to form, volume, and surface in the workshop offerings. Study or professional groups utilize the academically grounded curator-led tours, which illuminate not only art historical context but also conservation and architectural aspects. Thus, the KOENIGmuseum understands itself as a lively place for engagement with sculpture in the broadest sense.

Directions and Parking at Prantlgarten: How to Arrive Relaxed

The location of the KOENIGmuseum is ideal: right in the heart of the Landshut old town, yet quiet at the foot of the Hofberg in Prantlgarten. The official address is Am Prantlgarten 1, 84028 Landshut. For arriving by navigation device, the museums of the city of Landshut recommend entering Alter Franziskanerplatz 483; from there, the signage 'KOENIGmuseum' leads safely to the entrance. Those arriving by car can use the centrally located parking garages and walk the last meters on foot. Particularly convenient are the parking garage Altstadt/Zentrum on Mühlenstraße, the parking garage Freyung on Gestütstraße, and the City Center Landshut (CCL) parking garage on Podewilsstraße. From the parking garage Zentrum on Mühleninsel – about a five-minute walk from the old town and pedestrian zone – you can quickly reach Prantlgarten along the Isar side arms. The parking garage offers around 270 parking spaces on four levels, including disabled parking spaces and charging points for electric vehicles and e-bikes; elevators and well-maintained sanitary facilities increase comfort. Those arriving by train travel to Landshut (main station) and switch to bus or taxi there; the old town is well connected from all directions. Bus lines serve the city center at frequent intervals, making the visit convenient even without a car. For cyclists, the approach via the Isar bike paths with parking in the old town is recommended; please pay attention to local signs. The walking distance from the old town center is short: Follow the signs towards Prantlgarten, the museum entrance is located at the historic city wall below the slope. Due to the underground construction, stairs and paths inside are designed to be barrier-free; all exhibition rooms are accessible without barriers. For group arrivals by coach: Boarding and alighting are possible in the old town area according to city regulations; bus drivers bringing groups to the museum receive free admission (upon proof) according to current regulations. Our tip: Plan your arrival and ticket pickup so that you are on site about 10–15 minutes before the start of a booked tour; this leaves time for the cloakroom and orientation in the foyer. Those wishing to combine several museums in the city of Landshut benefit from the dense network of footpaths – the locations are within walking distance of each other, creating a culturally rich city walk.

History and Special Features: Fritz Koenig, 'The Sphere' and the Underground Museum

The KOENIGmuseum was opened in 1998 under the name Sculpture Museum in Hofberg. The building follows an architectural concept that the sculptor himself significantly influenced: windowless, introverted rooms in exposed concrete that focus on sculpture, material, and light guidance. Hidden in the slope of the Hofberg and only visible from the side of the medieval city wall, the architecture forms a tension-filled counterpoint to the Gothic of the Landshut old town. The collection traces back to the Fritz and Maria Koenig Foundation, into which the artist contributed his oeuvre and significant parts of his collections in 1993. This includes the internationally recognized Africa collection, whose forms and motifs provided essential impulses for Koenig's sculptural thinking. In 2018, the museum received its current name KOENIGmuseum and has since been part of a vibrant museum network in the city of Landshut. Koenig became world-renowned with the monumentally cast bronze 'The Sphere' – officially 'Große Kugelkaryatide N.Y.' – which stood on the plaza of the World Trade Center in New York from 1972 to 2001. The sculpture survived the September 11 attacks severely damaged and was subsequently interpreted as a memorial. After a stopover in Battery Park, it found its permanent location in Liberty Park in 2017 – above the memorial site and in view of the original location. This context also shapes the mediation work in Landshut: Films, documents, and models make the history of creation and later significance comprehensible. Visitors repeatedly report how impressive the connection between studio, work process, and global reception history is. However, the museum is not just a space for remembrance but consciously opens itself to contemporary art and dialogues – as currently with the exhibition on Patricia Piccinini. This creates a tension field of contemporary history, material aesthetics, and current questions that makes the tour not only informative but also emotionally tangible. Those walking through the rooms experience how proportion, measure, and weight begin to speak in the silence of the underground building. This connection of place, architecture, and collection is the true unique selling point of the KOENIGmuseum.

Tickets, Tours, Accessibility, and Services: All Practical Details

For the ongoing special exhibition, clear and transparent admission prices apply: Adults pay €8, reduced €6, children (6–17 years) €4. In addition to single tickets, there is a combination ticket that allows access to other museums in the city of Landshut (€14 or €10 reduced). Those who want to dive deeper can take advantage of the offered tours. Public tours and curator-led tours are regularly scheduled; participation in a public tour currently costs €4 per person plus admission (members of the Friends of the City Museum Landshut e.V. are exempt). For groups, private tours can be booked: For up to 20 people, the fee is €80 plus admission; there are special rates for children's and student groups (e.g., €30 for a 45-minute tour plus admission). Workshops that convey model-based work with sculptural materials complement the program. Note for families: Children may only visit the exhibition when accompanied by an adult – this is for safety in the sculpture rooms. The KOENIGmuseum is barrier-free accessible; all exhibition rooms are reachable without steps. For the visit, comfortable footwear and a light jacket are recommended, as the underground building maintains a balanced, rather cool climate. Cloakroom facilities are available. For media and professional inquiries, the museums' contact channels are available; the central service office also provides information on special opening hours and short-term program changes. If you engage with the exhibition dramaturgy in advance, it is worthwhile to book a time slot for a tour – the response is typically high, especially on weekends. Frequent visitors benefit from season ticket offers for the special exhibition. A practical note for all those targeting Landshut as a day trip: Plan the routes between the parking garage, museum, and old town; many gastronomic addresses are on the way back, allowing for a pleasant combination of cultural and urban experiences. On the official channels, you will also find information on holiday regulations, extended openings, and special events such as artist talks or readings.

Reviews and Visitor Experiences: What Guests Appreciate About KOENIGmuseum

Visitors consistently highlight three things about the KOENIGmuseum: the impressive effect of the underground building, the depth of engagement with Fritz Koenig's work, and the quality of mediation – from film sequences to guided tours. Particularly striking are reports about the cinematic processing of the history of 'The Sphere', which once stood between the Twin Towers and became a globally recognized memorial after the attacks. These documents, supplemented by models and work studies, make visible how closely Koenig's sculptural thinking is connected to architecture, urban space, and memory culture. Many voices also praise that in addition to the large bronze sculptures, drawings, casts, and preliminary studies are on display – an approach that expands understanding of proportion, material, and production processes. The location on the edge of the old town and the good accessibility by public transport, as well as the short distances from the parking garages, are also positively highlighted. The atmosphere in the museum is described by guests as focused and calm; the sequence of rooms allows enough time to view individual works from different perspectives. While some listings online still indicate 'free admission', it is advisable to always check the current information from the museums, especially during a special exhibition with its own ticketing. This also applies to tour dates, which may vary due to demand. Those who have participated in a curator-led tour often recommend it further: The context-rich explanations of work biography, material, and architecture enhance understanding and remain in memory for a long time. For families and school classes, the workshops are a gain because they make fundamental questions about sculpture – statics, form, surface – tangible through hands-on activities. Practically from a guest perspective, the accessibility of the exhibition rooms is a plus. And finally, there is the unique interplay of the old town, Hofberg, and city wall: Just the walk to Prantlgarten feels like a scene change – below the rivers and alleys, above the Trausnitz Castle, and in between the access to a museum that bundles art, architecture, and history into a clear, focused experience.

Sources:

• KOENIGmuseum – Official Website
• Museums of the City of Landshut – KOENIGmuseum: Visitor Info (Opening Hours, Tickets, Tours)
• Experience Landshut – KOENIGmuseum (Profile, Location, Short Description)
• City Works Landshut – Parking Garages Old Town/Central, Freyung, City Center
• Port Authority of NY & NJ – Liberty Park (Koenig Sphere at the West End of the Park)