The Boppard City Museum is located inside the archbishop’s castle with its prestigious residential tower. It was built by Prince Elector Balduin of Treves in the 14th century. The museum traces the region’s history back to the Stone Age and the Bronze Age. Texts and diagrams explain historical developments, such as the Celtic settlements and the withdrawal of Roman troops.

Ancient Roman exhibits and a model of the Roman fort bath-house remind us of Boppard’s Roman past, being a military station situated on the River Rhine. The exhibition of the town’s history shows objects from various periods in time, such as the Frankish period, the Middle-Ages and the 19th century. An extensive collection of pieces of religious art refers to the religious life in the town and the history of Boppard’s numerous monasteries, churches and chapels. The museum dedicates an entire section to Philipp Franz Freiherr von Siebold, an expert in Japanese studies. Other sections deal with the composer Engelbert Humperdinck and the painter Nikolaus Schlad.

The museum’s main attraction is the collection of Michael Thonet’s Bentwood Furniture. The carpenter and cabinet maker was born in Boppard in 1796. In 1819, he set up a carpenter’s workshop in his home town. Having left for Vienna in 1841, he achieved international fame for his Vienna Café Chair, which continues to be very popular. Picking up on the subject, the museum presents a carpenter’s workshop from around 1900 with tools of the period.