Viten, Wunder und Legenden

70 Years of Ikonen-Museum, Anniversary Exhibition

July 18 through November 8, 2026

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For 70 years, the Ikonen-Museum has been telling stories about icons. To mark this wonderful anniversary, we are presenting a special exhibition that focuses primarily on the stories themselves: under the title “Viten, Wunder und Legenden,” we explore icons that tell stories of saints, miracles, and legends through their imagery.

This often takes the form of a cycle of images around the edge of an icon, surrounding a central depiction of a saint: with clearly defined panels and often accompanied by explanatory texts, these cycles are reminiscent of modern comic strips. They sometimes tell incredible stories and depict fates that are, at their core, deeply human.

Some of the subjects are familiar: George slays the dragon and rescues the princess, Nicholas helps the poor, Barbara hides underground, Lot’s wife turns into a pillar of salt. Others are mysterious: icons walking on water, holy pillar walkers, a monk riding a horse with claws—and if you look closely, you’ll see: The Devil Wears Prada. No matter how fantastical some stories may seem, they all pursue the same goal: to convey what is important—wonderful, emotional, and often surprisingly relevant today.

The exhibition features 42 objects dating from the 17th to the 19th century. Of these, 16 come from the collection of the Icon Museum, while 26 are on loan from private European collections.

‍Museum hours:

Tuesday through Sunday and holidays, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Closed on Mondays

Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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