The Panometer in Dresden is a unique museum. It was built inside a former gasometer, a round structure that was used to pressurize coal gas for use in houses. Many of these structures have been converted for other purposes, and in Dresden, one was converted into a truly unique museum.
This museum hosts incredibly large panoramic paintings created by artist Yadegar Asisi. Only one painting at a time is on display, and each painting covers the entire inside wall of the Panometer. These paintings immerse visitors in a time and place. Previous exhibits have included a panoramic view of Dresden in the 1700s and Dresden immediately following the Allied bombings in 1945.
The exhibit we visited was Amazonia, which immerses the visitor in a 1:1 scale painting of the Amazon Rainforest. This exhibit has been hosted by other panoramic museums, but has been at Dresden’s Panometer since 2024 and should continue through the end of 2025.
Entering the museum, we walked into a series of rooms that explained the artwork and how it was created. There was also a lot of background information about the Amazon Rainforest and its flora and fauna.
Once we had walked through the exhibitions, we entered the Panometer itself. My first reaction was awe at the size of the painting. Each piece of art that gets displayed at Panometer is almost 90 feet tall and approximately 350 feet long. It’s absolutely massive. But it’s not just the size that’s impressive. The detail in the painting itself, especially considering the scale of the painting, is phenomenal.
Visitors also experience sounds from the Amazon and music. The soundscape was designed by Eric Babak, who collaborates with Yadegar Asisi on these projects.
In the center of the Panometer is a 50-foot-tall tower, where visitors can view the painting from various heights. Attached to the tower are a series of lights that simulate different times of the day, from moonlit night through dawn to midday. The painting reacts differently to the different kinds of lighting it’s exposed to. While daytime lighting exposes the incredible detail of the painting, the nighttime lighting hides those details, but creates an interesting glow, as it would under a full moon.
All of this makes for a completely immersive experience for the visitor. Instead of at an art museum where you would go to view a great work of art, this feels like a visit to the Amazon itself, without, of course, the heat, humidity, and the possibility of being eaten by a snake.
Viewing the work of art from the multiple levels of the tower gives the visitor many different perspectives on the same work of art. We took full advantage of the multiple viewpoints and different lighting to get the full experience. You can fully experience the Panometer in around an hour, allowing yourself plenty of time to see the art at multiple heights with different lighting.
Visiting Panometer Dresden
Panometer Dresden is about an 8-minute walk from the Dresden Reick train station. There is also a bus stop even closer than the train station. If you are driving, there is free parking in front of the building.
Tickets are 14 Euros for an adult. It costs 12 Euros for 17-20 year old students, Dresden Card holders, Dresden Pass holders, and the disabled. It is 7 Euros for children 6-16 years old. Children under the age of 6 are free.
Places to View the Art of Yadegar Asisi
Yadegar Asisi has many different panoramic art pieces on display throughout Germany.
- The Cathedral of Monet is currently on display in Leipzig. This 360-degree panorama, inspired by Monet’s painting of the Rouen Cathedral, is scheduled to end on Jan 7th, 2026.
- On display at Museumsinsel Berlin is the Pergamon. This art depicts the Greek City of Pergamon as it was during the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian in 129 AD.
- At Panorama Berlin is The Wall. This depicts various scenes from a 25-year period centered on the Berlin Wall.
- On display at Panorama Wittenberg360 in Wittenberg, Germany, is Luther 1517. This work depicts scenes from the life of Martin Luther and represents what Germany looked like 500 years ago.
- At Gasometer Pforzheim, Amazonia, the same exhibit being shown in Dresden, is also on display. It is scheduled to be in Pforzheim through 2026.
Altogether, there are 6 panoramic museums in Germany displaying Asisi’s work. I think the combination of the size and the detail of the work makes it worth visiting. It also makes for a quick trip if you want to fit it in with other things. You should be able to visit any of these works of art in an hour or less, and the price is reasonable.
I don’t think that I would go out of my way to do a day trip to one of these exhibits, but if you are in one of the cities where one of these panorama museums exists, I think it’s worth a stop. It’s a great way to spend a little time if you are in the area.
Newby to Expert Traveler 