Von der Folterkammer zum Rechtskundemuseum – Die Geschichte des Mittelalterlichen Kriminalmuseums in Rothenburg
From Torture Chamber to Museum of Legal Studies – A Short History of the Medieval Crime Museum in Rothenburg

Summary/Abstract: The following article highlights various facets of the Medieval Crime Museum, which is located in the heart of the middle franconian town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. In addition to a deep insight into the museum’s history, which goes back to the end of the 19th century, the reader is given additional insights into the structure and functioning (operation) of the museum. So it is explained, how the permanent exhibition was redesigned after the turn of the century and also the important role of constantly changing special exhibitions for cost coverage. Furthermore, various new cultural mediation formats are shown, that enable the museum to compete in the leisure and wide-education offering. Finally, the article shows, which areas of tourism are covered by the Medieval Crime Museum and how these are reconciled in order to meet the wide-ranging clientele of visitors. As a tourist destination, the museum covers two fields of tourism: history tourism on the one hand and thanatourism on the other, whereby the focus is not on the “horror factor” but rather a balance between entertainment and education.

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