The buildings and works of art created at the Mathildenhöhe Artists Colony form a unique synthesis of the arts, created between 1900 and 1914. Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine, grandson of Queen Victoria of Great Britain, pursued several goals when he founded the colony: he wanted to establish a centre of the new modern style in architecture and arts, and he also wanted to support the many manufacturers in Hesse. He understood the Arts and Crafts movement that he encountered in England as a starting point for a move towards modern design that was focusing on material properties and high quality. The 23 members of the colony held four major exhibitions between 1901 and 1914, which were designed in the form we see today.

Today the Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt Institute is an internationally oriented multidisciplinary house of fine and applied arts, showing several exhibitions per year. It consists of the wedding tower, the Museum Künstlerkolonie and the Darmstadt City Art Collection
In June 2014, the Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt was put on the German suggestion list for the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The decision will be made in 2020.