Freundeskreis Heidecksburg e.V. (Friends of Heidecksburg), with its seat in Heidecksburg Palace and its approximately 120 members from all regions of Germany, sees itself as a sponsor of the Thuringian State Museum Heidecksburg in accordance with its statutes and has provided sustained support for the museum's work since its foundation in June 1991. As a result of this extensive support, many restoration works, purchases of art objects and the publication series on the Schwarzburg art and cultural history could be realised. The Friends also contributed to the acquisition of the exhibition »Rococo en miniature«, thus making a presentation at Heidecksburg Palace possible which is unique in Germany.
The members meet annually for the general meeting, which also includes a concert in the festival hall as part of the programme. In 2015, Daniel Mortsch (Rudolstadt) was elected as the new chairman. He took over from Prof. Dr. Karsten-Michael Ortloff (Berlin) and Dietrich von Beulwitz (Berlin), who had chaired the association since its foundation.
If you are interested in becoming a member, we would be very pleased! The annual membership fee, with which you can directly support the work of the museum, is 50 €.
Here you will find all the necessary documents for joining:
- Stature (German)
- Declaration of membership (German)
- Direct debit authorisation & SEPA direct debit mandate (German)
Freundeskreis Heidecksburg e.V.
Schloßbezirk 1 | 07407 Rudolstadt
You would like to support the work of the museum without membership? A donation to the Freundeskreis Heidecksburg e.V. is also possible!
IBAN: DE49 8305 0303 0000 0534 22
BIC: HELADEF1SAR
The Thuringian State Museum is a museum association. Its headquarters is the Heidecksburg Palace in Rudolstadt with the Palace Museum, Natural History Museum and Rococo en miniature. Other members of the network are: the Princely World of Experience at Schwarzburg Palace with its Armoury and Imperial Hall, the Museum of Monastic, Forestry and Hunting History at Paulinzella Hunting Lodge and the Friedrich Froebel Museum in Bad Blankenburg. Click here to visit the websites of the individual museums.
In 1994, the Thuringian Palaces and Gardens Foundation was established and given the task of caring for the monuments of Thuringia that had been brought into the foundation and making them accessible to the public. Since then, 31 castles, palaces, parks and monasteries have been in the care of the foundation, whose headquarters are at Heidecksburg Palace in Rudolstadt.
You can find out more on the Foundation's website.
Thuringia's treasury owes its wealth to the state-wide network of princely residences, which were nowhere closer together than here. Their competition for architecture, art, culture and science produced magnificent buildings and diverse collections that are still preserved today - the heritage of Thuringia's courtly culture. Discover impressive palace architecture, garden art and historically grown princely collections in Thuringia's Treasury.
Since 2019, a cooperation agreement covering close collaboration between the four Schwarzburgian museums exists between the Regional Museum Bad Frankenhausen, the Palace Museum Arnstadt, the Palace Museum Sondershausen and the Thuringian State Museum Heidecksburg. This was preceded by obvious discussions in which all participants were in favour of a stable network. There have already been cooperations without a contract in the past. In 2003, for example, a joint book and exhibition project about the court painter Johann Alexander Thiele was successfully implemented. In 2018, a project on »The glass holdings of the Schwarzburg residences from the 16th to 18th centuries« was launched in cooperation with scientists from the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, among others. The common goal of the cooperation is above all to strengthen tourism in the regions of Thuringia with the traces left behind by the House of Schwarzburg.
The Thuringian State Museum Heidecksburg is a member of the Thuringian Museum Association (Museumsverband Thüringen e.V.), which represents, advises and supports the interests of its personal and institutional members in order to be able to fulfil the tasks of a museum in accordance with recognised quality standards and recommendations. The museum association represents its members with regard to the state ministry responsible for culture and cooperates with the museum owners.
Heidecksburg Palace is the symbol of Rudolstadt, which means that our museum works closely with the city itself. As a result of this partnership, we also offer combined tickets for visits to the Residence Palace, the Schiller House and the Thuringian farmhouses. All important information and ticket prices can be found here or on the website of the city of Rudolstadt.
The »Thuringian Porcelain Route«, widely branching out through Thuringia, connects manufactories and craftsmen who still produce or process porcelain with the sites of former production facilities and museums that preserve and present porcelain treasures. Thuringia can proudly look upon more than 250 years of its own porcelain invention and production. Experience places with traditional and innovative porcelain art, their secrets, regional cultural history as well as enjoyment and recreation.