The Stadtmuseum occupies a handsome half-timbered house from 1657–58 on Rathausstraße, rebuilt after the great fire of 1656 that destroyed much of Lippstadt's medieval fabric. The building itself is one of the finest in town: between 1764 and 1769 it was renovated with richly decorated Rococo stucco ceilings commissioned by a local justice counsellor. The museum was founded in 1928 as a district heritage collection and covers Lippstadt's history from prehistoric times through to the early modern period, with special collections including historical toys and fans.
The collection is currently in transition — a new storage facility was under construction at the time of writing — but the Galerie im Rathaus on Lange Straße 14 continues to host special exhibitions and shows work from the permanent art holdings. Saturday workshops are free and open to all ages.