The Castings

Since the 19th century, casts of ancient statues, portraits and reliefs have been an indispensable part of archaeological research and teaching. No other medium is capable of conveying the original works of art in such an objective, three-dimensional way. Since then, visitors have also had the opportunity to get up close to the ‘great masterpieces’ of antiquity without having to travel far.

The Archaeological Museum's collection of plaster casts of ancient sculptures from the Greek and Roman cultural sphere currently comprises around 430 exhibits, with the collection constantly growing. The original collection was lost during the Second World War and was only rebuilt in the 1950s and 1960s. Only a coloured partial cast of Praxiteles' Hermes survived the Second World War. Today, it welcomes visitors to the Archaeological Museum in the entrance area.