When is the exhibition running?

The special exhibition is on display from April 26, 2026 to January 10, 2027.

Where is the exhibition taking place?

At the Amberg City Museum, Zeughausstraße 18, 92224 Amberg.

What is the admission fee?

The regular museum admission is 6 euros, reduced 5 euros. Children under 6 years have free admission.

Are there tours and educational offerings?

Yes, the Amberg City Museum offers public tours, short tours, lectures, inclusive formats, and workshops related to the exhibition.

Is the museum accessible?

The special exhibition rooms are accessible via an elevator. There are also accessible offerings, disabled toilets, and a ground-level entrance.

Can I visit the exhibition with children?

Yes, the museum offers family-friendly and museum educational offerings. A visit is also well-suited for younger art enthusiasts.

Prechtl's Imagery Renew Amberg: Drawing, History, and Surprising Perspectives

Name: Heads. Times. History(ies). Michael Mathias Prechtl on the 100th Birthday
Start: 2026-04-26T02:00:00+02:00
End: 2027-01-11T00:59:59+01:00
Location: Stadtmuseum Amberg

A celebration that makes Amberg culturally shine

With the special exhibition Heads. Times. History(ies). Michael Mathias Prechtl on the 100th Birthday, the Amberg City Museum focuses on one of the most prominent artists of the city. The exhibition opens on April 26, 2026 and runs until January 10, 2027, showcasing a body of work that uniquely combines drawing, illustration, poster art, and art-historical references.

Reading Prechtl anew: Drawing as a spiritual stage

Michael Mathias Prechtl, born in 1926 in Amberg and deceased in 2003, is considered one of the most notable German graphic artists and book illustrators. The German Historical Museum describes him as an artist of an imagined world theater, whose images open new dialogues with color, pen, and brush. His art thrives on skepticism, wordplay, literary references, and a sharp eye on history and the present.

Rare works from the estate and private collections

The exhibition displays works from the artistic estate acquired by the city of Amberg in 2025, as well as loans from private collections. Many of these works have not been publicly shown for a long time. The special atmosphere of the exhibition lies precisely in this: visitors encounter not only familiar motifs but also surprising perspectives on the oeuvre of an artist who left behind paintings, drawings, lithographs, illustrations, and ceramic works during his career.

Dürer, literature, and the art of allusion

Prechtl's work unfolds its power in the viewing of the artworks. His images combine lightness with erudition, historical themes with contemporary visual language, and precise observation with narrative condensation. The city museum particularly emphasizes the international impact of his cover images for DER SPIEGEL and The New York Times. Walking through the rooms, visitors experience art history not as distance but as a vibrant aesthetic experience.

Education, tours, and cultural education

The exhibition is accompanied by a diverse program with lectures, curator-led tours, short tours, inclusive formats, and a drawing course with original works. Thus, the museum offers not just observation but cultural education in the best sense: from careful seeing to art-historical classification to one's own creative practice. A tactile model, texts in easy language, and offerings in German sign language further broaden access.

The city museum as a place for art and city history

The Amberg City Museum connects the exhibition with its collections on nearly 1000 years of city history. The spaces are clearly structured, while also being open to different access routes. Thanks to an elevator, the special exhibition rooms are accessible, and the museum has a ground-level entrance, accessible toilets, and low-barrier education offerings. This makes the visit an accessible art experience for many target groups.

Conclusion: This exhibition invites you to rediscover Michael Mathias Prechtl – as a precise draftsman, as a literarily thinking visual artist, and as an important voice in German graphics. Anyone seeking art with intellect, excitement, and historical depth should definitely experience this showcase live in Amberg.