Founded in , the museum is housed in a former Augustinian monastery in the heart of Freiburg. Yet despite its historical appeal, the building had not kept pace with the needs of a diverse and burgeoning collection.
Deconsecrated in the 19th century, the church functioned as a surprisingly serviceable municipal theatre for over years, before being reconverted to meet the more serious demands of a museum. But this could not assuage the growing deficiencies of space, circulation, visitor service, security and climate control. Tautly hewn in creamy stone, the armature of bays and columns performs several tasks. The imposing figures of 10 Old Testament prophets are arrayed in two rows on the ground floor and a set of gargoyles picturing the Seven Deadly Sins thrust demonically out of the walls above.
In place of what would have been the original rood screen, a partition wall separates the nave from the choir.
At its far east end, the choir is dominated by a ceiling-high Baroque organ that came from Gengenbach monastery on the edge of the Black Forest. The ornamental power of this artefact is countered by an equally tall display cabinet set at the opposite end of the choir. Experiential drama is heightened by a carefully choreographed route around the interior. An Escher-like staircase orchestrates moments of compression as visitors enter the intimate, stained glass galleries, and moments of exhilaration as they glimpse the soaring volume of the nave as they rise up through the building.
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