The excellent diocesan museum of Limburg

The Diocesan Museum on Limburg's "Domberg" surprises with the depth of its content, the diversity and exclusivity of its exhibits, the splendour of its treasures and the practical and museum-like savvy of those responsible, namely the director Matthias Kloft.

Kloft, who has been the provisional head of the diocesan history research centre at Johann Wolfgang von Goethe University in Frankfurt since 2020 and is currently working intensively with Barbara Wieland on preparations for the 200th anniversary of the diocese in 2027, has been the diocesan curator since 2013.

The museum not only claims to reflect the history of the diocese (bishops, monasteries, abbeys, cathedral, etc.), but also to set theological accents: The focus is on initiation (baptism, confirmation, first communion) and death (funeral rites, etc.).

In addition, there are numerous excellent individual objects, some of which have only recently been discovered, rescued and restored. These include stained glass windows from abandoned churches. Even more recently, some historic chapels of the diocese have been destroyed, so there is a risk of further loss of artefacts.

The various museum publications are highly recommended, especially the 6-part illustrated history of the diocese.

It was particularly ingenious to integrate the private rooms of Tebartz-van Elst's new diocesan house, which is directly adjacent to the museum, into the museum. The former study now houses a wall of books with 200 small objects covering the entire history of the diocese (see photo). With the integration of the bishop's flat, the Sistine Chapel effect has been achieved, namely that many visitors simply want to see the "bishop's flat" (the Sistine Chapel) and have to go through the actual museum first.

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