One afternoon in Frankfurt

Museums are always open on Sundays in Germany, they tend to be closed on Monday instead.

There is no need to stay near the train station during your time here. Walk out the middle doors of the station to where the trams are going by. Staying on the same side of the street as the train station, get on the #11 tram and ride it 3 stops to the Roemer / Paulskirche stop. Get off and you will be in at Frankfurts old town area. This is nice for exploring. If you do want to go to a museum, there are several on this side of the river, but the majority are on the other side. It depends on what your interests are. Jewish history, Archeology, Classical art, Modern art, Architecture, or Sculpture. Let me know and I can tell you where each of these are.

Don't know when you are arriving here, but there are 3 exhibitions that I would recommend seeing depending on your taste in art. The Staedel has a large "Botticelli exhibit" that begins 14 Nov., the Schirn has "100 Sculptures for Mao" and this is the 1st time this has been exhibited outside of China, and the Stadt Archives in the Karmeliter Kloster has "60 Years of Americans in Hessen". This building also has the 500 year old frescos of Jorge Ratgeb which are simply amazing.

To go back to the train station, just go across the street to where you got off (in front of Starbucks) and take the #11 tram back.

There are organized walking tours of Frankfurt that might be to your liking:

Frankfurt on Foot

I heartily agree with Jo, or, if you prefer walking, just walk up Kaiserstrasse from the train station; it gets better as you continue up the street.

There is the Goethe Museum that you can veer off to from Kaiserstrasse, if you want to know more about that famous poet.

No need to waste your lay over time lingering in the train station.

Is the film museum still there? We went there a few years ago, at the time the signs were all in German, but there's some cool stuff there, like some of the Lumiere brothers' early machines and films.

The film museum is undergoing some renovation, so don't think I would recommend going there. It is one of my least favorite museums here.
My faves?

Archeology Museum

Jewish Museum

Judengasse Museum

Staedel Art Museum

Liebig Haus Sculpture Museums

Schirn Art Museum

Museum of Modern Art

Communication Museum

Museum of Applied Art

Architecture Museum

Hisory Museum

and if you had time, the Dialog Museum where you are in the dark or go out to Offenbach to the Leather Museum

Thank you all for the great suggestions! I didn't realize there're so many interesting things to do in Frankfurt. I'm looking forward to the visit.

Hi,

Since you indicated that you would do some walking around during these 5 hrs., you have time to get to the south side of the River Main--opposite side of the train station-- by bus from the Hauptbahnhof or on foot (it's a bit of a walk, 45 min. or so) to see Frankfurt's Sachsenhausen district.

This is the area that is well worth seeing in addition to the suggestions posted above, and especially on a Sunday.

Many times when we fly in and out of Frankfurt we layover one night. We always find a lo-cost hotel near the Hauptbanoff, and wander the area.

We love to walk South of the river and head over to one of the Appel wine (Apfelwein) restaurants. Our favorite is the Zum Gemalten Haus, on Schweizer Str. 67. It's located in the fun Sachsenhausen neighborhood across the river near the museum district surrounded by lots of shops, bars and restaurants.

It is typical Frankfurt food, its cheap, and the place is always a lot of fun.

Joy,

We had a layover in Frankfurt a little over a year ago and utilized the lockers to stow our bags while we hit the town. As expected, our bags were safely waiting on us upon our return but the couple we had dinner with had their locker opened and everything stolen. The police informed us that this is a daily occurence and that there was nothing they could do. How very solicitous of them. If baggage check is available, you may want to use that option.

Anyways...after visiting the Dommuseum in the cloisters of the St. Bartholomew Cathedral (2 thumbs up), we ate at Erno's Bistro on Liebigstrasse (2 thumps way up!!!).

Have a great time and be safe...Ed

Steve, they have a train layover, so will not be at the airport to utilize the left luggage services there.

Just as a note, the Dom museum is about my least favorite museum Frankfurt, unless you are into priests vestments from the 1400-1600's and chalices, etc. give this a pass. With limited time in the city, please consider some of the other museum suggestions.