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Green Vault

A treasury opened to the public in 1724, one of the first museums in Europe, in rooms that are exhibits themselves.

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Typetreasury
WhereSaxony
Nearest cityDresden
Best seasonYear-round
Time to allowA day
Getting thereSaxony; central Dresden, in the Residenzschloss
EntryTicket; Historic Vault timed and limited

Augustus the Strong turned his treasury into a display from 1723 and opened it to visitors in 1724, which makes it among the oldest museums in Europe. It exists in two forms today. The Historic Green Vault presents objects in the reconstructed baroque rooms without cases, on mirrored walls and gilded consoles as Augustus arranged them, entered through an airlock with numbers strictly limited. The New Green Vault upstairs shows the highlights in modern cases, including the Court at Delhi, a table with a hundred and thirty-two gilded figures. In 2019 a break-in took jewellery from the Historic Vault; most was recovered in 2022, damaged.

What you actually see

  • The Historic Vault - objects displayed without cases in reconstructed baroque rooms.
  • The New Vault - highlights in modern cases, including the Court at Delhi.
  • The 1724 opening - one of the earliest public museum displays in Europe.
  • The 2019 theft - a break-in whose recovered items are shown with their damage.

When to go

Year-round; the Historic Vault uses timed tickets with a strict daily cap and sells out well ahead, so booking is essential. The New Vault is easier to enter.

Honest expectations

Historic Vault tickets must be booked in advance and are limited daily. No bags are allowed and photography is banned. It closes Tuesdays.

Nearby

The Zwinger lies west; the Frauenkirche is east.

What to pack for Green Vault

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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