Schirn is the Hessian word for a structure such as a hut or a shed, but this belies its significance in the world of art. Since opening in 1986, the Schirn has staged some 200 exhibitions. It has no collection of its own but organises temporary exhibitions and projects on selected themes or the work of individual artists. The themed exhibitions have made most notable contribution to the gallery's international reputation, for instance Viennese art nouveau, Expressionism, Dadaism and Surrealism, the history of photography and subjects such as 'shopping – art and consumerism', and the visual art of the Stalin era. Major retrospectives have honoured artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Marc Chagall, Alberto Giacometti, Frida Kahlo, Bill Viola, Arnold Schoenberg, Henri Matisse and Julian Schnabel.

Taking a stance on topical themes and aspects of artistic creation can be said to be the Schirn's hallmark. It aims not only to engage visitors in a meaningful exhibition experience but also to encourage active participation in the cultural discussion.

The towering facades of the bank buildings with their futuristic architecture are the hallmark of the city. Frankfurt's financial district, where the quest for upward mobility appears to know no bounds, is situated between the train station, exhibition centre and old opera house. The two high-rise buildings on Bockenheimer Landstrasse built back in the 1960s are now dwarfed by the giant skyscrapers that have earned the city its nickname of 'Mainhattan'. The most famous of these are the Deutsche Bank building with its twin towers, 'debit' and 'credit', and the trade fair tower, a splendid example of post-modern architecture.

Unmissable highlights include the Museum of Arts and Crafts, whose building alone is worth a visit, the Film Museum and the Museum of Ethnology. This is also the setting for the Museum Embankment Festival held here on the last weekend in August and the Museums Night held every year in spring.

The Jewish Museum in Frankfurt is housed in the historical rooms of the former Rothschild Palace, built between 1812 and 1824. Together with the branch of the museum in the Judengasse, the exhibitions explain the history of the Jewish communities in Frankfurt: from the beginnings of Jewish settlement in the 12th century and the end of the ghettos to the atrocities committed by the Nazis, followed by the struggle for integration into society and the re-establishment of the Jewish communities after 1945. Jewish utensils and cultural objects reflect everyday life and religious culture in the synagogue and at home, and the lives of the individuals and communities.

Also open to the public, the writer's study on the second floor is furnished as it was in his time. This is where Goethe wrote 'Götz von Berlichingen', 'Faust' and 'The Sorrows of Young Werther'. The furniture and fittings in the kitchen, living quarters and reception rooms reflect those typical of a middle-class household in the late baroque period.

Here, at the heart of Frankfurt's museum mile, visitors can see a huge diversity of masterpieces from seven centuries of European art on one of the regular public guided tours offered free of charge. Altogether the Städel collection comprises some 3,000 paintings, 600 sculptures, more than 4,000 photographs and more than 100,000 drawings and graphic works. Its highlights include works by such artists as Lucas Cranach, Albrecht Dürer, Sandro Botticelli, Rembrandt van Rijn, Jan Vermeer, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Max Beckmann, Alberto Giacometti, Francis Bacon, Gerhard Richter, Wolfgang Tillmans and Corinne Wasmuht.

Since opening in 1991, the museum on Braubachstrasse has set a trend with its post-modern architecture becoming an integral element and point of focus for Frankfurt's cultural and social scene. The MMK's collection includes more than 4,500 works of international art dating from the 1960s through to the present day.

Frankfurt's Römer town hall is one of the most beautiful historical town halls in Germany and has been the seat of local government for more than 600 years. Both its exterior, a reconstructed triple-gabled facade in the neo-Gothic style with many decorative elements, and the imperial hall inside are well worth seeing. Römerberg square in the heart of Frankfurt's old quarter dates back to the Hohenstaufen period. It enjoyed its heyday in the late Middle Ages when it was the scene of Frankfurt's trade fairs and great ceremonies such as the coronations of German emperors.

Experience sightseeing at its best in Frankfurt with a tour on the Ebbelwei Express, a colourful historical tram. With plenty of music, pretzels and local cider, the party soon gets into full swing. Here in Sachsenhausen, with its friendly atmosphere, narrow cobbled streets and more than 100 traditional bars serving locally produced cider, you'll quickly make new friends. The people of Frankfurt love nothing more than to sit or stand side by side with visitors in the quaint bars and traditional inns of Sachsenhausen's old quarter and put the world to rights.

Built in the Italian high Renaissance style and authentically reconstructed, this prestigious building was officially re-opened in 1981. Since then around 300 high-calibre concerts and events have attracted large numbers of visitors to the striking concert hall every year. With its acclaimed acoustics it provides the perfect setting for an impressive programme that includes symphony and chamber concerts, lieder recitals, early and modern music, jazz, rock and pop, as well as light entertainment, cabaret, lavish gala evenings and, of course, the grand Frankfurt Opera Ball.

In the heart of Frankfurt, not far from bustling Bockenheimer Landstrasse, the Palm Garden is an oasis of calm dating back to the 19th century. This beautiful garden with its elegant Congress Hall, romantic ponds and colourful, lovingly tended flower beds is the ideal place to relax and enjoy a leisurely stroll. Spacious greenhouses such as the palm house and Tropicarium are little worlds unto themselves: lush subtropical and tropical landscapes with palms, giant shrubs, ferns and flowers that look like they've come straight from paradise. Read more

The spectacular MyZeil shopping centre designed by Italian star architect Massimiliano Fuksas and opened in 2009 is a special attraction, and not just for shoppers. The building's funnel-shaped glass facade with its spiralling contours captures the eye and the imagination of shoppers and passers-by. Covering eight floors, it has stores selling leading international brands, a delicatessen, a wide choice of restaurants, a major electronics retailer – and Europe's longest free-standing escalator, at 48 metres in length.

Originally completed in 1833, St. Paul's Church was the first building to be reconstructed after the war, in a combined effort between east and west. Like no other location, the church stands as a symbol of another, better Germany. The first national German assembly – Germany's first parliament after unification – met here in 1848 and passed the country's democratic constitution. Since 1948 St. Paul's Church has only been used for exhibitions and special occasions – such as the Goethe Prize award ceremony or the German book trade's annual Peace Prize.

The permanent exhibition puts a fun spin on the laws of mechanics, maths and optics. With shadow puppetry, trick mirrors, an artificial tornado and lots of other activities, visitors of all ages will want to get involved. In its first two years the museum on Hamburger Allee has welcomed more than 170,000 people through its doors.

Opening times:

Monday 9am-2pm, Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday & Sunday 10am-6pm

There are inspiring exhibitions for families and kids, exciting local history tours, fascinating workshops and birthday parties on offer. The museum displays have all been specially devised for children and young people and are changed every one to one-and-a-half years. The museum firmly believes in hands-on learning and getting visitors to find things out for themselves.

Opening times:

Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm

The collection provides an overview of 5,000 years of sculpture, from ancient Egypt through to classicism. It brings together works from the ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilisations as well as the Middle Ages. With more than 3,000 exhibits and a display that was completely redesigned in 2008, the formerly private Liebieg Villa is regarded as one of the world's leading sculpture museums.

Opening times:

Tuesday & Friday-Sunday 10am-6pm, Wednesday & Thursday 10am-9pm

Prehistoric dinosaurs, enormous whales and elephants, scores of beetles, a colourful array of birds, and botanical and geological exhibits are all just waiting to be discovered. The museum provides a window into the nature research that its scientists are currently working on around the world.

Opening times:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9am-5pm, Wednesday 9am-8pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am-6pm

It also contains an image library holding some 120,000 ethnographic photographs and films from past and present, and a library of 50,000 books and periodicals. The museum, which is housed in three late 19th-century townhouses on the city's 'museum embankment', was established in 1904 by citizens of Frankfurt.

Opening times:

Tuesday & Thursday-Sunday 11am-6pm