The Hessisches Landesmuseum is one of the oldest and best multi-disciplinary museums in Germany, occupying a handsome neo-baroque building a short walk from the market square. The collections span medieval art, natural history, zoology, geology, and decorative arts — but the standout is the modern and contemporary art section, which includes a dedicated room of Joseph Beuys installations and a strong collection of German Expressionism.
The Jugendstil and applied arts galleries are particularly strong given Darmstadt's role as a centre of the movement: furniture, glass, ceramics, and jewelry from the Mathildenhöhe colony sit alongside pieces from Vienna and Paris. The natural history wing, with its Victorian-era dioramas, is charming and atmospheric in an entirely different way.
The museum was extensively renovated and reopened in 2014. Allow two to three hours for a thorough visit. Located at Friedensplatz 1, a few minutes' walk from the main train station.