Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame (Notre-Dame Artwork Museum), Strasbourg (must see)

The Notre-Dame Artwork Museum traces its roots to a medieval foundation responsible for overseeing the construction and maintenance of Strasbourg Cathedral from the Middle Ages onward. Over time, sculptures, architectural fragments, and artworks removed from the cathedral during restorations were carefully preserved, forming the core of a collection that was formally organized as a museum in the 19th century. Today, the museum is housed in several historic buildings near the cathedral, including a former lodge used by the cathedral’s craftsmen.

The museum provides a rare opportunity to encounter Strasbourg Cathedral at close range and from a different perspective. Original statues, reliefs, stained-glass panels, and decorative elements dating from the 11th to the 16th centuries can be examined in detail, revealing the skill of medieval stone carvers, glassmakers, and woodworkers. Many of these works once stood high on the cathedral façade or within its interior, where their finer details would have been difficult to see. Displayed at eye level, they allow visitors to appreciate facial expressions, symbolic gestures, and stylistic changes across the Romanesque and Gothic periods.

The museum offers a chronological tour through approximately forty rooms. As the museum is housed in medieval and Renaissance buildings, staircases and doorways naturally lead visitors through the progression of artistic evolution. Near the entrance, the rooms are dedicated to original sculptures and architectural fragments from Strasbourg Cathedral. After this first set of rooms, the museum provides insight into remarkable stained glass, of which the Wissembourg Christ is the standout. It is a 12th-century stained-glass panel depicting the head of Jesus Christ and is considered the oldest intact figurative stained-glass window preserved in France. Continuing along the chronological route, the collection presents regional Upper Rhenish 15th-century and Renaissance art. The later galleries of the museum focus on still lifes and decorative works from the 16th and 17th centuries. Among these middle and late galleries, the painting titled "Madonna in the Vine Arbor'' stands out as a key highlight.

Last but not least, the museum appeals to those interested in understanding how a major Gothic cathedral was conceived, built, altered, and preserved over centuries. Exhibits help explain the evolution of architectural styles, the practical challenges faced by medieval builders, and the artistic similarities between Strasbourg and other cultural centres along the Rhine. Calm courtyards and historic interiors further enhance the experience, making the museum feel less like a detached gallery and more like an extension of the cathedral itself.