When does the exhibition take place?

The special exhibition runs from 26.04.2026 to 10.01.2027 at the Amberg City Museum.

Where can the exhibition be seen?

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

How much is the admission fee?

The regular museum admission is 6 Euros. Discounts and other rates are listed on the museum's website.

Are there guided tours?

Yes, there are public tours, curator-led tours, group tours, as well as inclusive formats and lectures.

Is the museum barrier-free?

Yes, several exhibition areas, the educational rooms, and the special exhibition are accessible by elevator. Not all areas of the historic building are structurally barrier-free.

How do I get to the museum?

Amberg train station is about a seven-minute walk away. For drivers, there are indications of parking options in the city center.

Heads. Times. History/Stories

Name: Heads. Times. History/Stories. Michael Mathias Prechtl on his 100th Birthday
Start: 2026-10-08T13:00:00+02:00
End: 2027-01-10T18:00:00+01:00
Location: Stadtmuseum Amberg

Michael Mathias Prechtl in Amberg: An exhibition between drawing, history, and image poetry

The Amberg City Museum dedicates a special exhibition to the 100th birthday of painter, draftsman, and illustrator Michael Mathias Prechtl, who was born in Amberg, shedding new light on his work. Under the title Heads. Times. History/Stories., loans from private collections and works from his estate engage in a dense dialogue with the city, its culture of remembrance, and the artist's distinctive imagery.

An artistic experience with depth

Prechtl is among the most significant German graphic artists of the 20th century. His works combine precise drawing, fine irony, and historical reflection into art that sharpens perception. Those who enter this exhibition experience not only painting, graphics, and illustration, but a carefully curated examination of his work, in which heads become carriers of contemporary history.

Between Amberg, Nuremberg, and the great image history

The biographical trace leads from Amberg to studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Nuremberg to an international reputation that Prechtl gained mainly through book illustrations, lithographs, etchings, and cover art for Der Spiegel. His visual worlds often draw upon motifs from Dürer, which he reinterprets with critical wit and subversive precision. This very blend of scholarship, humor, and skepticism also shapes the exhibition in Amberg.

Originals, works from the estate, and new perspectives

Works from the artistic estate and loans from private collections, which have long not been accessible to the public, will be on display. The presentation is supplemented by media and interactive stations, a tactile model of a central work, and offerings in easy language and German sign language. Thus, the exhibition opens not only for art connoisseurs but for a broad audience that wishes to experience aesthetic encounters intensely and with minimal barriers.

Education, tours, and cultural education

The accompanying program makes the exhibition a vibrant place of cultural education. Public tours, curator guided tours, art snacks, lectures, and inclusive formats deepen the exploration of the works and relate Prechtl's art to literature, local history, and printmaking. The focus on his designs, where careful preliminary drawings, image composition, and conceptual acuity come together in an impressive manner, is particularly appealing.

Conclusion

This exhibition is an invitation to rediscover Michael Mathias Prechtl as a precise observer, visually powerful storyteller, and critical mind. Those who are passionate about art history, illustration, and the connection between image and thought will find a wise yet sensual artistic experience in Amberg. A visit on-site is definitely worthwhile.