What to do · Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Medieval Crime and Justice Museum
Information
- From
- €10 adult
- Duration
- 1 h 30
- Season
- All year, daily; in November 2026, from 11 to 16 h
- Who it's for
- Teenagers and adults
- With a dog
- Dog-friendly
What it is
The Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum, the medieval crime and justice museum, tells how people were judged and punished in Europe from the Middle Ages. It is on Burggasse, in the former complex of the Order of St John (the Johanniter), with its granary, a courtyard, a tower of the town wall and stone vaults. The town counts it among its ten main visits, and the museum has already passed a hundred years.
It is not a house of horrors: it is a museum of legal history. But what people remember most are the punishment pieces.
What you will see
The exhibition is divided into sections:
- The law of the past: laws, courts and what a trial was like.
- A question of honour: shame masks and other public punishments.
- Trial and torture: the instruments of interrogation and their legal use.
- Sentence and punishment: how penalties were carried out and the executioner's tools.
- Witches, executioners and rogues, and a section on animals in the history of law.
- Myth or truth?: what has been invented afterwards about medieval justice. Among the best-known pieces is the "iron maiden".
There is also a temporary exhibition, "Luther and the Witches", on belief in witchcraft and the trials, with more than a hundred pieces, and a copy of the imperial regalia.
Opening times
Right now, in November 2026, the museum's website says it is open every day from 11:00 to 16:00, with last entry at 15:15. In high season the hours are longer: check the museum's website before you go if you are travelling in spring or summer.
Tickets
| Price | |
|---|---|
| Adult | €10.50 |
| Senior | €9.50 |
| Student | €7.50 |
| Schoolchild from age 6 | €6 |
| Family (two adults and their children aged 6 to 17) | €26.50 |
| Group of 20 or more, per person | €9.50 |
Children under 6 do not pay. Dogs may enter free, on a lead.
How to get there
The museum is at Burggasse 3-5, a few minutes' walk from the Marktplatz, beside the path that goes down to the Plönlein and the Burggarten. If you come by car, park in the large car parks outside the wall (P1 to P5) and walk in.
How long
Allow an hour and a half to see it at leisure; if you like to read everything, more, because the exhibition is large and spread over several buildings. The texts of the virtual visit are in German and English.
With children
It works very well for teenagers: the shame masks and the witch stories raise questions. With small children, think first: there are instruments of torture and scenes of punishment explained frankly. The museum charges from age 6 and has a family ticket.
To round off the visit
Combine it with a walk along the town wall, which passes very close, and with the climb up the Town Hall tower, from which you can see the museum to the south. If it rains, it is one of the indoor plans in the old town.
Tips
- Go first thing With the short winter hours, go in at 11:00 and you will have plenty of time before the last entry.
- Ask for the family ticket Two adults with their children aged 6 to 17 pay €26.50.
- Prepare the little ones Explain beforehand what they are going to see: some pieces are impressive.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Rothenburg crime museum cost?
€10.50 for adults, €6 for schoolchildren from age 6 and €26.50 for a family. Children under 6 do not pay.
What are the opening times?
In November 2026, every day from 11:00 to 16:00, with last entry at 15:15. In high season it opens longer.
Can you go with a dog?
Yes. Dogs enter free, on a lead.
With teenagersWith a dog
