The Old Masters Gallery, or Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, should definitely be on your bucket list for a visit to the city of Dresden. You can admire plenty of truly stunning art pieces by renowned artists. Find below all necessary and helpful information regarding your visit to Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister Dresden, especially whats to consider currently during the worldwide Pandemic, where to buy your tickets and where to find the entrance inside the stunning Zwinger.
What to expect and see at Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister & history of the collection
The collection was first founded by Augustus, Elector of Saxony, in 1560 as “Art Chamber/Kunstkammer of the Electors of Saxony in Dresden” and grew ever since. Due to its ever-expanding size, the collection has already moved quite a bit inside Dresden. It would eventually also emerge to one of the most famous art collections in northern Europe in the late 18th century. One of the most notable exhibition pieces has been the Sistine Madonna by famous Italian painter Raphael. The painting was originally finished in 1512 and purchased by Augustus III of Poland and moved to Dresden in 1745.
Nowadays the collection is situated in the newly built gallery wing, designed by architect Gottfried Semper, from 1847 to 1854. At the Gallery Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister inside the Zwinger, you will be able to admire ~ 750 paintings dating back to the 15th to 18th century. The collection, part of the Dresden State Art Collections, includes major Italian Renaissance works as well as Dutch and Flemish paintings. Further, outstanding works by German, French, and Spanish painters of the period are also among the gallery’s displayed artworks. Some of the most notable highlights of the collection are Raphael: Sistine Madonna (1512), Correggio: Madonna and Child with St Francis, (1514-15), Giorgione: Sleeping Venus (1508/10), Vermeer: The Procuress (1656), Jan van Eyck: Dresden Triptych (c. 1437), Titian: The Tribute Money (c. 1516), Rembrandt van Rijn: The Prodigal Son in the Tavern (1635) and many more. The 750 displayed artworks are only about equivalent to 40% of the whole collection of paintings.
New Masters Gallery
As only the “Old Masters” from the 15th to 18th century are exhibited at the Old Masters Gallery, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, around 300 paintings from the 19th century until the current 21st century (Otto Dix, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet,..) are displayed at the Gemäldgalerie Neue Meister or New Masters Gallery. The New Masters Gallery is part of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen (State Art Collections) of Dresden and is located in the Albertinum.
Where to buy your Tickets for the gallery
The best way to purchase your entrance tickets is by doing it online and in advance. The price for every person of the age of 18 and above is 14 Euros, all underaged children are free of charge. The “Zwinger”-ticket enables you to visit all three Zwinger museums within one day: Old Masters Picture Gallery, Porcelain Collection as well as the Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments.
Book your tickets directly via this website: https://shop.skd.museum/tickets
Entrance to Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister Dresden / Old Masters Gallery
If you have ever been to the impressive Zwinger building complex in Dresden before, locating yourself and getting to know where everything is situated might be easy. But if you visit Zwinger for the very first time, it might be quite confusing. The Old Masters Gallery is located in the Semper Gallery, the gallery wing of the Zwinger. As there is more than one entrance to the Zwinger courtyard, it’s advised to enter the Zwinger from the side of the Elbe river and the Semperoper Opera. Right inside this entrance to the courtyard is also the entrance to the Gallery.
Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister – what’s different during Coronavirus Pandemic
Not too much is different currently during the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic. The most notably might be the limitation of the opening hours, with only 7 open hours a day, 6 days a week. Otherwise, it is of course mandatory to wear proper mouth-nose-covering/a clean mask.
Additionally, visitors have to follow the recommendations of the German Museum Association as well as those of the SKD’s Occupational Safety Committee with a series of measures:
- It is compulsory to wear a mouth and nose covering.
- Ideally, purchase your admission ticket contactless via the online shop or, if possible, pay cashless at the museum ticket offices.
- The number of people who can be in an exhibition room at the same time is limited. You have to follow the instructions of the supervisory staff.
- A minimum distance of 2 meters to other people must be maintained.
- A visitor guidance system defines the tour through the exhibition areas in order to avoid encounters as far as possible.
- Follow the instructions of the supervisory staff.
Contact and further information:
Address: Theaterplatz 1, 01067 Dresden
Opening hours: Tuesday till Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm, closed on Mondays
Website: https://gemaeldegalerie.skd.museum/en/
