Mary Magdalene embodies many roles at once: companion of Christ, witness to the Resurrection, saint, sinner and penitent. The exhibition “Maria Magdalena. Sin. Pray. Love.” at the Städel Museum traces how this figure has been interpreted and portrayed over the centuries. Open since 17 September, it runs until 17 January 2027 – offering a specific reason for a winter cultural break in Frankfurt.
The Städel and the Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung have brought together more than 100 paintings, sculptures and works on paper from the Middle Ages to the present day. The exhibition poses a question that visitors can explore further through individual images as they walk around: what does a portrayal tell us about Mary Magdalene – and what does it reveal about the period in which it was created?
From the ointment jar to new female roles
The history of Mary Magdalene in art is also a history of shifting attributions. In religious depictions, she is associated with an ointment jar, shown as a penitent in the wilderness or revered as a saint. Her figure also became a vehicle for ideas about piety, desire and women’s roles. The exhibition traces these interpretations from early accounts and medieval legends through to modern and contemporary times.
A few simple questions can help guide your own visit: what posture does the figure adopt? What do her clothes, objects and gaze reveal about the role assigned to her? Who appears as an active agent, and who becomes the object of the gaze? And does the answer change when works from different centuries are placed side by side? These are not pre-emptive judgements about the exhibition, but prompts to look at an image more closely and with greater historical awareness.
According to the Städel, the selection ranges from paintings and works on paper to sculpture, featuring works from its own collection alongside international loans. This allows visitors to trace changes not just through a single motif, but across different materials and visual languages. The exhibition will therefore also appeal to travellers less interested in seeking out a single famous icon than in exploring how art shapes cultural ideas.
The Museumsufer without a car
The Städel is at Schaumainkai 63 on Frankfurt’s Museumsufer. According to the museum, it is about a ten-minute walk from the main railway station via the Holbeinsteg footbridge. Those using public transport can take underground lines U1, U2, U3 or U8 to Schweizer Platz, or tram lines 15 and 16 to Otto-Hahn-Platz. Connections and any service changes can be checked with the local transport network before departure.
The museum is open from 10am to 6pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays to Sundays, and until 9pm on Thursdays; it is closed on Mondays. According to the museum, standard admission to the exhibition starts at 19 euros, with concessions from 17 euros. On Tuesdays from 3pm, a flat rate of 10 euros covers the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. Prices and special opening hours may change; checking the latest visitor information before your visit is recommended.
Anyone wishing to extend their museum visit can also explore the collection in the same building, spanning seven centuries of art. This gives a winter trip a clear focus: not as many stops as possible, but time to consider how an image repeatedly transforms a biblical figure into a different Mary Magdalene.
Original reviewed by the editors · 11 November 2026
