Gründerzeit - a museum for Kaiserslautern

Following the idea of the Arts and Crafts Movement that originated in England, an exemplary collection of arts and crafts in Kaiserlautern is also intended to inspire tradespeople in Kaiserlautern to further develop their craftsmanship in times of the advancing industrialization.

That is the thought behind the founding of the mpk as a trade museum by citizens of the city in December 1874.

Numerous donations and the purchase of valuable pieces from the collection of the architect, sculptor and art collector Lorenz Gedon (1843-1883) from Munich form the foundation. In 1882, high-quality reproductions of artisan masterpieces were added. The wealth of materials and forms – from porcelain and glass to ornate woodwork to exotic Japanese sword engravings – hamonizes and leads to new ideas.