1902
after a new town hall was built at Elberfelder Markt, the former town hall at Turmhof was set up as a museum. On the second floor, an antique plaster cast collection, donated by Julius Schmits, (given to the schools in the early 1930s; now lost) and arts and crafts were presented in five side-lit rooms. The first director of the house was Dr. Friedrich Fries, formerly a lecturer at the Städtisches Kunstinstitut in Frankfurt.