As significant testimonies of interior design, wallpapers have been collected, maintained, presented, documented, and scientifically explored for many decades - mainly through the initiative of wallpaper manufacturers themselves. Since the 1920s, the German Wallpaper Museum Association has been advocating for the extensive wallpaper collection and museum in Kassel.

The collection now includes almost 23,000 objects and documents the development of the wallpaper industry from the Early Modern Period to the present day. Among the absolute highlights are gold leather works from the Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo periods, as well as flocked and canvas wallpapers from the 18th century. Such luxurious, elaborate pieces were reserved for the nobility.

With the introduction of serially printed wallpaper in the 18th century, imitations of these designs also became affordable for a wider audience. The collection from this time also includes valuable objects - from colored paper sheets to early wallpaper rolls and the first patterned wallpapers, as well as deceptively real silk imitations from the Empire and Biedermeier periods. Particularly impressive are the hand-printed French panoramic wallpapers from the 19th century.

Among the groundbreaking objects from contemporary wallpaper collections are, for example, brightly psychedelic designer wallpapers from the 1970s or pastel-colored floral decor wallpapers from around 1950.