to 1886, Max Reger from 1911 to 1914, and Kirill Petrenko from 1999 to 2002. Kunsthaus The Kunsthaus Meiningen (art house) is a cultural institution in the historic half-timbered house Alte Posthalterei ("Old Post Office"). It presents exhibitions of contemporary art and offers workshops and job opportunities for local and foreign artists. Museums Meininger Museen ("Meiningen Museums") comprise six cultural and historical museums which house the largest art collection in Thuringia. The main museum is in Schloss Elisabethenburg (Elisabethenburg Palace), the former residence of the Dukes of Saxe-Meiningen. Museum of Literature "Baumbachhaus" is mainly an exhibition on the life and work of local poet Rudolf Baumbach. Furthermore, there are exhibits on the interaction of Friedrich Schiller, Jean Paul and Ludwig Bechstein during their time in Meiningen. There is also a department of urban and local history. The newest art museum, opened in 1999, is the Theater Museum "Magic World of Scenery" in the former riding school near the palace. It offers an annually changing exhibit of historically important theatre stage backdrops and historical information on the European tours of the Meiningen Court Theatre. The Meininger Zweiradmuseum (MZM) shows all types of two-wheel vehicles produced in the GDR and a variety of police vehicles. This is run by a private club whose members acquire the models and restore them to their original condition. Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works from 2023 hosts an interactive museum. Here, visitors can learn all about steam locomotives. The focus of the exhibit is a locomotive that can be accessed on multiple levels. Landmarks Townscape Meiningen has an urban townscape typical of a residence town. The town has a historic downtown, neoclassicist streets and extensive parks in the town center. Around the center there are residential areas. The historic old town is still surrounded by parts of the town wall with moats. It originated mainly in the 12th and 13th centuries. Several times in the town's past, large-scale fires or wars destroyed many buildings. A great fire destroyed nearly half the town's old quarter in September 1874. This part was rebuilt in the Neoclassical style with ornate buildings and straight streets. This style also characterizes the main shopping street, Georgstraße. In other parts of the old town half-timbered houses from the 16th to 17th century and large mansions from the 18th to the 19th century still predominate. Since 1990, some modern new buildings were added. The center is