SKD | Old Masters Picture Gallery

Impressive museum, probably the best in Dresden (if not in Germany), with a great collection of classic masterpieces. The architecture and interior layout of the building is really beautiful and easy to navigate and enhances the entire pleasurable experience.

The Gemäldegalerie Dresden is truly a treasure that has emerged from the shadows of history, often referred to as the "Sleeping Beauty" during the communist era. Despite being overlooked for so long, this painting gallery has been beautifully rediscovered and now stands proudly among its esteemed peers like the Uffizi, Prado, the National Gallery and others. Since its establishment in 1746, the gallery has offered an extraordinary collection of masterpieces that captivate art lovers and casual visitors alike. The rich history of the gallery, coupled with its stunning exhibits, makes it an absolute excellence in Dresden. Whether you're an art aficionado or just looking for a cultural experience, the Gemäldegalerie is a must-visit. It’s a powerful reminder of the resilience of art and culture, and a testament to Dresden's commitment to preserving its artistic heritage. Don't miss the chance to experience this magnificent collection! Support it becoming a member of the association MUSEIS SAXONICIS USUI!

Old Masters Gallery in Dresden is a world class collection of paintings from a period spanning 15th to 18th centuries. It is a must-visit museum which is very professionally run. In my first visit, my primary motivation was to see the Dresden Triptych by the master Flemish painter Jan Van Eyck (this is one of the few -about 20- remaining paintings by him). It is truly breathtaking to see how much painterly skill he had. Understandably, they keep it under a glass enclosure. After the first one, I visited this museum a few more times. Overall, it is a unique collection with many great artists (Rembrandt, Vermeer, Holbein the younger, Ribera, Titian etc.) and paintings to choose as favorites. But the real suprise for me was to see the 18th century veduta paintings (cityscapes) by Bernardo Bellotto. The detail and precision with which he captured Dresden and the surrounding provinces is remarkable. As someone who loves landscape paintings and is a fan of Claude Lorrain, John Constable and Joseph Mallord William Turner (each had very distinct styles, of course), it was such a pleasant suprise to discover an artist like Belotto. I will definitely come back!

You are not allowed to bring in a tiny purse, even if its capacity is no larger then a cell phone to put in. A rude Russian woman on the entrance informs you with no options. Then you have to leave your things in a locker with a non secure key. The navigation is good though - you can move around, come back and forward. The collection is worth-full. The bookstore is also worth to mention.

This is an amazing gallery with vast amounts of masterpieces. There are so many famous paintings, and it’s almost overwhelming! I was here for 3 hours but could have easily spent the whole day if they had a nice cafe inside. "The Sistine Madonna" by Raphael and "Girl reading a letter at an open window" by Vermeer are the highlights in my opinion.

Absolutely lovely collection and well decorated rooms, but annoying alarm system kills all the joy. You can neither see details nor point it to someone else. Constant bzzz in all halls. It would be nice to fine tune it.

If you've seen it in a movie, online, or heard it discussed it might be in this museum. The paintings in this museum rival some of the best in Europe. Similar experience to the Belvedere in Vienna...

The staff at the Dresden Art Gallery were extremely unfriendly. The woman at the ticket counter overcharged me by selling the wrong tickets on purpose. When I tried to resolve it, she was rude and clearly enjoyed the trouble she caused. She smiled smugly, clearly pleased with the “great job” she had done today. I felt deceived and treated with no respect. Sadly, this ruined my visit.

This Old Masters Museum is in a complex. The museum entrance was hard to find because of the tourist groups gathering and blocking the entrance. Once we made it into the building, we were rudely greeted by two old and angry women, and told to go downstairs for tickets. We were directed to self service lockers for coats and backpacks then to purchase tickets. The same rude "greeters" on the first floor practically yelled at me because I had my purse with me. She demanded that I return and store it in the locker. I asked if I could keep it with me because it contained my passport and with a stern and rude "nein" she turned me away. I did manage to put my valuables in my pocket in hopes that there are no pick pockets in the museum. The museum's collection is impressive, but the curation is not up to par. Many of the master works are behind glass such as Raphael's Sistina Madonna. The skylights and lighting above the Sistina Madonna casted a terrible glare, which made it impossible to enjoy the piece from a direct front view. The pieces are incredible, which would make this a 5* museum, but the terrible curation and horrible customer service bumped down 2*.

Ekstasis ~ "standing outside oneself" (from Greek, ex- "out" + histanai "to place"). First there was Raphael's Sistine Madonna. Then, somewhere between Giorgione's Sleeping Venus and Vermeer's Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window -- ecstasy waved and found us: sitting on round sofas, gazing at art.

This museum has two Vermeers (there are only 35 in the world) and an amazing large Raphael painting. It is worth it just for those three paintings (although one Vermeer is only okay). Other than that, over 5 Rubens, Rembrandts, 2 Titians and Tintorettos and a Giorgione. It's great if you love the old masters and Italian and Baroque art. It's also easy to get through--not too big. I love this time period of art (1400-1800) and spent about 2 hours and did the entire gallery (versus other museums that take much longer). The museum ticket gives you access to to the other museums in the Zwinger. The porcelain gallery is amazing--I wasn't sure if I should go and glad I did--it is remarkable. Overall, it's a short visit but full of amazing art. Audio guide is 3.50 and worth it. The audio guide talks more about the history and the artist which I prefer (versus guides that describe the painting).