When can the exhibition S.O.S. – Save our souls be seen?

The exhibition can be seen from October 20, 2026, to April 4, 2027, at the Diocesan Museum of Freising.

What are the opening hours of the Diocesan Museum of Freising?

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 AM to 5 PM. On Thursdays, there is extended opening hours until 8 PM during the exhibition. The museum is closed on Mondays.

What is the entrance fee?

The regular admission for the exhibition is 8 Euros. Discounts may apply depending on the group.

Is the Diocesan Museum accessible for people with disabilities?

Yes, the museum is accessible without steps or via elevators. The Dombergbahn also provides barrier-free access from the city center.

Are there guided tours or educational offerings available?

Guided tours and art education offerings can be requested at the Diocesan Museum of Freising. Booking inquiries are accepted by phone or email.

Where is the Diocesan Museum of Freising located?

The museum is located at Domberg 21 in 85354 Freising. There is a parking garage available on Domberg; the Dombergbahn connects the city center barrier-free with the museum.

Saved Masterpieces Tell of Loss, Hope, and Cultural Responsibility at DIMU Freising

Name: S.O.S. – Save our souls
Start: 2026-10-23T09:00:00+02:00
End: 2027-04-04T17:00:00+02:00
Location: Diözesanmuseum Freising

Saved Masterpieces from the Italian Marche at DIMU

The exhibition S.O.S. – Save our souls at the Diocesan Museum of Freising is dedicated to precious artworks that were salvaged, restored, and preserved for the public from destroyed churches in the Italian Marche after the severe earthquakes of 2016. From October 20, 2026, to April 4, 2027, visitors will encounter significant late Gothic and Renaissance painting as well as multi-panel altars from a region whose cultural memory has been profoundly shaken by the natural disaster.

Art Between Destruction and Preservation

The exhibition connects art historical analysis of works with a poignant story of salvation. Over 300 people lost their lives in the earthquakes, and entire areas were devastated. Amidst this destruction, the systematic securing of sacred art began. Restoration, scientific documentation, and international cooperation made it possible to make selected works visible again.

As such, the exhibition directly engages with central questions of cultural responsibility: What happens to art when its original spaces disappear? What significance do altars, images of saints, and sacred visual programs hold for the identity of a community? And how does our perception of a work change when each painting simultaneously tells a story of loss, rescue, and hope?

Late Gothic and Renaissance in Luminous Colors

Highlights include works by Carlo Crivelli and Lorenzo Lotto. Crivelli's late Gothic imagery fascinates with precious gold backgrounds, precise details, and an expressive, nearly jewel-like color effect. Lotto's painting opens a view into a dynamic Renaissance, where religious themes are intertwined with psychological sensitivity and vibrant spatial perception.

Artists such as Vittore Crivelli, Allegretto Nuzi, Paolo da Visso, Pietro Alemanno, Marco Palmezzano, Cola dell’Amatrice, and Paolo Bontulli da Percanestro are also represented. The works showcase the artistic diversity of the Marche and make visible how closely painting, spirituality, landscape, and local memory are intertwined.

The Aesthetic Experience of Saved Art

A unique exhibition atmosphere develops in the museum: Golden backgrounds, finely crafted garments, expressive faces, and the quiet presence of restored panels direct attention to material, surface, and light. The artworks appear not as isolated objects but as testimonies of a vibrant religious and societal culture.

This connection between sensual presence and historical upheaval makes the art experience particularly compelling. Each sculpture, panel, and altar points to the craftsmanship of its era and simultaneously to the work of restorers, art historians, and conservationists. The curation thus also highlights those professions that are involved in the preservation of cultural heritage between emergency recovery and museum presentation.

Cultural Education and New Perspectives

S.O.S. – Save our souls sees itself not just as a historical exhibition but as a place of cultural education. The presentation opens up discussions about monument preservation, memory culture, religious art, and the protection of European cultural heritage. Those who take the time for a careful viewing of the works will recognize not only art historical quality in the restored masterpieces but also the resilience of communities.

Conclusion: A Moving Art Experience at the Diocesan Museum of Freising

The exhibition connects masterpieces of the Late Gothic and Renaissance with an extraordinary story of destruction, rescue, and responsibility. Art lovers can expect a concentrated, atmospheric display of sacred painting, restoration, and cultural memory. A visit to the Diocesan Museum of Freising enriches the aesthetic experience and impressively illustrates why the protection of art is always also a protection of human identity.