The five continents Museum (German title: Museum Fünf Kontinente) is a Museum for non-European artworks and objects of cultural interest in Munich.
Until September 2014, the Museum called "national Museum of Ethnology".
The Museum was founded in 1862 and was the first ethnological Museum in Germany. However, the history of the Museum's collection began much earlier.
The Museum has about 160 000 exhibits, including religious and household items, and is home to one of the largest and most important ethnographic collections in Germany.
The exhibitions provide an overview of the various non-European cultures. There are permanent exhibitions on Africa, South America, North America, Oceania and East. Also in the Museum are 135,000 photos and a specialized library with over 100,000 books.
The Museum's collections originate from private collections, including the Wittelsbach dynasty, whose members were the first collectors of objects from outside Europe, as well as gifts numerous travelers, explorers, colonial officials and missionaries, ethnographic and art dealers.
In addition, the Museum has changing (temporary) exhibitions.
The Museum building was built from 1859 to 1865 by Eduard Riedel as the Bavarian national Museum. The customer was king Maximilian II.
The main front of the building, with a length of 147 meters and consists of five blocks with arcades, sculptures and decorative cornice. The Central part of the building has three floors, and two side wings are two - floored.
The area of the Central entrance loggia. Under the roof of the building you can see the inscription in capital letters: "the Honoring and veneration of my people" (Meinem Volk zu Ehr und Vorbild), which refers to the history of the buildings, like the building of the National Museum.
Practical information
The five continents Museum located on the Royal Avenue maximilianstraße (Maximilianstraße), opposite the majestic building of the government of Upper Bavaria, at the following address: Maximilianstrasse, 42.
Days and hours of operation of the Museum, as well as the cost of tickets is recommended to clarify on the official website of the Museum.
The website of the Museum: museum-fuenf-kontinente.
