In the salons of the baroque Palais Morass, Heidelberg’s very long history comes to the fore with artifacts that include a cast of the jawbone of Heidelberg Man, an early human who lived in Europe and Africa until 250,000 years ago and is thought to be the direct ancestor of homo sapiens; the original (stored at the university) was unearthed near Heidelberg in 1907. Nearby are some remarkably well preserved wooden beams from a Roman bridge across the Neckar. Other displays may or may not help you understand the complex, strife-torn history of the Palatinate, as a large swath of southwestern Germany was once known, while the collection’s standout, the Altar of the Apostles by Tilman Riemenschneider from 1509, alone justifies the price of a ticket. If you’re traveling on to Wurzburg, you’ll encounter this master carver again and see more of his uncanny talent for embellishing religious scenes with emotion and compassion.