The museum was created in 1855 by Maximilian II to preserve the artistic riches of Bavaria. On the ground floor, the rooms give an overview of arts and crafts from the Romanesque period to the Renaissance. It includes religious statuary and gold pieces, tapestries, furniture and models of medieval towns. The collections on the first floor include musical instruments, porcelain and silverwork. There is an exhibition of folk art and Nativity cribs in the basement.