Danube Swabian Museum

The museum is located in a historic building of the Ulm Federal Fortress, only a few metres from the banks of the Danube. Two tours show the history of the Danube Swabians (950 sqm) and the diversity of the Danube, the great European river (550 sqm).

Special exhibition
Heavy Fabric
Women - traditional costumes - life stories
27 September 2024 - 22 April 2025
Clothing is part of our personality: it shows who we are, who we want to be - or should be. Before clothing was mass-produced and marketed globally, each item was unique, created for a specific person. The Danube Swabian clothing ensembles in this exhibition date from that time. They show the close relationship between women and their clothing - from working garments to bridal outfits, from girls' costumes to funeral dresses. What makes them special: Each ensemble tells a female life story. Experiences of pride and submissiveness, loss and death, hope and new beginnings are woven into the fabrics.

Exhibition "Danube Swabians. Departure and encounter"
The Danube Swabians are the descendants of German settlers who emigrated to the then Kingdom of Hungary in the 18th century. For centuries they lived peacefully together with their neighbours - Hungarians, Romanians, Serbs, Croats and others. After the Second World War, many were uprooted by flight, expulsion, deportation and internment. They came to Germany and other countries. Those who remained in the settlement areas had to come to terms with communist regimes. The exhibition is in German, there is a German/English media guide.

Exhibition "Danube. River Stories"
From the Black Forest to the Black Sea, the Danube flows almost 3,000 kilometres through landscapes, regions, countries and cultures. Around 100 million people live in its catchment area today. The exhibition tells the story of the river and the people living along its banks in German and English. The legendary Danube dinosaur, modern hydroelectric power, Danube navigation in Ulm, wild carnival customs, Habsburg coffee house culture, practised nature conservation and curious flotsam - these are all topics of the "River Stories". Participation and media stations invite visitors to discover and try things out.