Römisch-Germanisches Museum

The Römisch-Germanisches Museum at Roncalliplatz 4 sits in Cologne's Altstadt-Nord, immediately beside the cathedral and a two-minute walk from Köln Hauptbahnhof. The museum tells the story of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, the Roman city founded on the Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia, and it was built directly over the site of a famous find: the Dionysus Mosaic, uncovered in 1941 while an air-raid shelter was being dug. The mosaic, from the floor of a Roman dining room, remains in its original location and is visible through a glass wall from the street as well as from inside the museum. Its roughly 70 square metres of tiny stone tesserae show Dionysus, satyrs and maenads in vivid scenes. Elsewhere, the collection includes the monumental tomb of Lucius Poblicius, a veteran soldier, rising several metres over the main hall, along with portraits, tombstones, everyday household goods, jewellery and one of the world's most important collections of Roman glass. Reconstructions and displays on Roman daily life, trade and religion help connect the objects to the city's streets and port. A typical visit lasts 90 minutes to two hours. Weekday mornings are generally the quietest period, while weekends and rainy days bring families and cathedral crowds. The best photo angle is the view of the Dionysus Mosaic through the street-level window, which can be seen without entering. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00AM to 5:00PM and closed on Mondays; visitors should confirm fares and opening times at museenkoeln.de. Its central position makes it easy to combine with the cathedral and Museum Ludwig, and the nearby Roman remains elsewhere in the old town add context for those who want to trace the ancient city on foot.