Friedrich Heyser's "Ophelia" is on permanent display at Museum Wiesbaden in Germany. The painting from around 1900 has recently become a sensation following the release of the music video for Taylor Swift's hit song "The Fate of Ophelia." (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Wiesbaden has become many things in the nearly six years I’ve lived there between 2017 and now, but a landmark to Taylor Swift fans, commonly known as “Swifties,” wasn’t something I’d ever put on my bingo card.
That quickly changed in October with the release of Swift’s music video for “The Fate of Ophelia.” International headlines drew attention to striking similarities between the video’s opening shot and German painter Friedrich Heyser’s “Ophelia,” housed at Museum Wiesbaden.
Smartly capitalizing on the hype, the museum announced a “Swiftie Tour” scavenger hunt in November, and I was sold on a future daddy-daughter adventure.
Thanks to a combination of a kindergarten dance performance of “Shake It Off,” mainstream radio and a few weekend YouTube rabbit holes, my wife and I have inadvertently created our own almost 5-year-old mega fan, and Tay Tay now permeates my car playlists for daily preschool commutes.
On a recent Tuesday, when I assumed the museum wouldn’t be as busy, I scooped up my little Swiftie and we headed downtown to see “the painting from the ‘Phelia’ video.”
I wasn’t sure how much the rest of the venue would appeal to her, but after about 20 minutes, that uncertainty vanished.
We picked up the Swiftie Tour pamphlet before leaving the main atrium, and on the advice of the ticket counter staff, we started on the left with the natural history exhibits.
Visitors to Museum Wiesbaden can participate in the "Swiftie Tour" scavenger hunt, which provides an opportunity to explore the museum and enter a monthly drawing for a prize from the gift shop. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
One of the galleries of the "Old Masters" exhibit at Museum Wiesbaden in Germany displays some paintings and works of art that are over 500 years old. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
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Rebecca Horn's "Der Rabenbaum," meaning "The Raventree," is one of a few large installations in the contemporary and modern art galleries of Museum Wiesbaden in Germany. The mechanical sculpture is made of copper, steel, charcoal and glass. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
The museum is divided into two main wings across three floors, separating the art and natural history sections.
There were many interactive displays and activities interspersed among hundreds of taxidermy specimens and animal models.
It was more than enough to grab and hold my daughter’s attention despite her not being quite old enough to appreciate the full scope of the exhibits.
Nearly all the information boards were in both German and English, and a QR code could be scanned for an English translation of the few that were only in German.
We navigated each floor alternating between natural history and art exhibits, with regular reminders that we needed “to find the painting from the video.”
Naturally, my adventuring partner wasn’t nearly as interested in collections of turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau, contemporary and modern art or masterpieces from the 13th through 18th centuries, but an occasional painting or large installation elicited a response of “wow” or “pretty.”
A "Swiftie Tour" easter egg label sits on the floor near Katharina Grosse's "Sieben Stunden, Acht Stimmen, Drei Baeume" (Seven Hours, Eight Voices, Three Trees). The "Out of the Woods" label is one of 13 clues that thematically tie Taylor Swift song titles and lyrics to featured artwork and nature displays in the museum. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Life-size models of a giraffe and African elephant are a sight to behold at Museum Wiesbaden in the German city. The museum's natural history wing houses hundreds of models and taxidermy specimens. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
I appreciated the creativity of the scavenger hunt, as it provided enough of an incentive to keep my Swiftie exploring every exhibit looking for “clues.”
Throughout the permanent exhibits in both wings, 13 “Easter eggs” are placed on the floor tying one of Swift’s songs or selected lyrics to a piece of art or nature display. Each of the floor markers has a letter on it that’s used to discover a two-word code.
We found “Ophelia” about halfway through our visit, and it was readily apparent there was more than one T-Swizzle fan present.
Four teens were dancing in front of the painting, while a fifth played the associated song and recorded them with her phone for what I assumed was TikTok content. It felt out of place, but it didn’t bother us or seem to disturb any of the other visitors.
My daughter immediately recognized the painting and posed for her own photo, and I was finally able to take a few moments to appreciate a piece of art before we continued our visit.
Sand samples from hundreds of locations around the world sit on display in the natural history wing of Museum Wiesbaden on Dec. 9, 2025. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
A taxidermy polar bear on display in the "Color in Nature" exhibit at Museum Wiesbaden on Dec. 9, 2025. The natural history wing of the museum in Wiesbaden, Germany, houses hundreds of taxidermy representations and animal models. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
We ended our day with a piece of cake at the on-site café and a solution to the scavenger hunt puzzle — no spoilers here, though!
Visitors who solve the puzzle can drop off their completed sheets near the museum gift shop. There is a drawing on the 13th of each month for a Swiftie prize package.
It’s unclear how long the Swiftie Tour scavenger hunt will be offered, but “Ophelia” is a permanent fixture in the Museum’s F.W. Neess collection.
Pop star references aside, though, Museum Wiesbaden is a must-visit for everyone stationed here. It is larger and more engaging than I expected, and it left me questioning why I had overlooked it the hundreds of times I’ve passed by over the years.
I won’t go so far as to call myself a reluctant Swiftie, but if Taylor’s artistry and aura can draw a new audience to a bit of fine art, introspection and discovery, I can certainly appreciate the magic in that.
Museum Wiesbaden in Germany houses a variety of permanent and rotating exhibits in fine art and natural history wings in a more than 75,000-square-foot facility. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Museum Wiesbaden
Address: Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 2, 65185 Wiesbaden
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; closed Monday
Prices: Adults, 12 euros; under 18, free
Information: Phone: +49 611 3352250; online: museum-wiesbaden.de
