The Getrudekapelle is one of the headquarters of the Ernst Barlach Stiftung, a Foundation dedicated to the management and enhancement of the work of the German expressionist sculptor Ernst Barlach. The foundation was established on January 1, 1994. All of its three museum sites are located in Gūstrow: beyond the Getrudekapelle, a deconsecrated chapel of ancient construction, another location takes place in the artist's house-atelier, where he has lived since 1910 to 1938, and in the Ausstellungsforum, another exhibition space.

The Getrudenkapelle was the first exhibition of Barlach's works as early as 1953, constituting the artist's first memorial before the foundation of the Foundation. Even today the chapel houses about 30 works by the sculptor.

The three locations of the museum hold over 300 sculptures, 1000 drawings, 120 notebooks, 110 literary manuscripts, 230 prints, 24 printing blocks, the library and other testimonies of Barlach's life and work. The museums house the largest collection of the artist's works in the world. Works from all eras and creative areas of the artist - from his time in Dresden as a master pupil of Robert Diez to the last year of his life in Güstrow - make up the valuable inventory of sculptures, graphics, drawings and autographs.