One of the most striking aspects of this extraordinary museum is its setting: the former Augustinian church, a Gothic masterpiece dating back to the 13th century. With its soaring vaulted ceilings and radiant stained-glass windows, the sacred architecture provides a dramatic backdrop for an undeniably secular and surreal collection. Inside, the nave is dominated by a towering elk, while hundreds of animal skulls, bones, and taxidermy creatures populate the space like frozen echoes in time.

Flanking the nave, the Count Arco antler collection unfurls across the walls in splendid symmetry. Down the central aisle, glass cabinets showcase historic hunting weapons, medieval crossbows, and ornate trophies, each piece a relic of centuries-old traditions and practices. Whilst overhead, glowing chandeliers cast a radiant light, revealing the intricate details and distinctive features of the collection.

Since its opening in 1966, the museum has transformed this divine space into a cabinet of curiosities. As you wander through its chambers, you’ll encounter biological specimens spanning centuries, with some dating back over 12,000 years. Among the most captivating are the infamous Wolpertingers, grotesque yet whimsical Bavarian chimeras said to haunt the deepest darkest forests in Bavaria. These mythical hybrids - part rabbit, part bird, part antlered beast, are in fact imaginative mashups of small animals, adorned with horns, fangs, and wings. They’re in equal parts folkloric whilst at the same time made from wildly creative imaginations.

The museum documents the evolution of hunting and fishing in Germany, born from public demand and Bavaria’s deep-rooted tradition of game hunting. It doesn’t try to disguise the darker corners of history. Instead, it embraces the macabre and the surreal, offering an unapologetic exploration of the rituals and myths that have shaped Bavarian culture.