Welcome
Tin Figure Cabinet in the Swabian Gate-tower
The Swabian Gate, a medieval
watchtower, is situated at the eastern edge of Freiburg´s historical
city center next to the place of the last barricade. At the head of
50 winding-stairs is a museum unique in Germany: the Tin Figure
Cabinet in the Swabian Gate. The museum has committed itself to the
memory of the freedom movements of Southwest Germany and therefore it
displays the struggles of the peasants and the burghers between 1386
and 1848.
More than thirty tin figure-showcases (so-called “Dioramas”) on two floors illustrate the combats of former times by showing the protagonists in lifelike environments.
Season 2025
The cabinet is open on the following days during the season:
Saturday and Sunday: 12 noon to 2 p.m. | Monday to Friday: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The season ends with an open house on Friday, October 3.
On this day, admission is free between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Our own history 
This museum was founded in 1969 by Andreas Lehmann, with Andreas Müller managing it from 1988 to 2008. Since 1989, the Zinnfigurenklause has been run entirely by a voluntary group of friends and sponsors, who design the dioramas, cast and paint the figures and open the doors to visitors from all over the world. The rooms cannot be heated, so the museum is only open from mid-May to the beginning of October.
