Green Belt Center

About the museum

The Green Belt Center sees itself as a gateway to the European Green Belt: along the former Iron Curtain, near-natural landscapes survived in the shadow of the border fortifications and today form a habitat network about 12,500 km long, stretching from Northern Europe to the Black Sea. In the north-eastern Mühlviertel, Windhaag lies directly on this belt, close to the Maltsch river and the border with South Bohemia.

In just one year of conversion, the former Mühlviertler Waldhaus, an old school building from the time of Anton Bruckner, became a modern visitor centre with a 16-metre-high timber structure by the Ottensheim architects “Two in a box”. It opened in May 2015; the province of Upper Austria and the EU bore most of the costs of around €1.6 million. The operator is Naturraum Grünes Band GmbH.

On more than 1,000 m², the tour begins at the Iron Curtain and then leads through the natural habitats of the Green Belt, with a focus on the Mühlviertel and South Bohemia, on birdlife, returning wildlife and old breeds of domestic animals. It ends with a “future space” offering food for thought on sustainable living. In the attic, a separate exhibition tells the regional history from the settlers and knights of the 13th century through the inhabitants of the Freiwald to the villages beyond the border that vanished after 1945. All texts are presented equally in German, Czech and English.

The building also serves as an information point for excursions in the border region, with “checkpoints” such as the Hofwieshammer, and offers rooms for celebrations and seminars.

Highlights

• Exhibition on the European Green Belt from the tundra to the Black Sea
• Starting point at the Iron Curtain
• Future space at the end of the tour
• Regional history in the attic, up to the vanished villages
• Trilingual exhibition (German, Czech, English)

Permanent exhibitions

• Das Grüne Band Europa – A tour from the Iron Curtain through the natural habitats along the former border to the focus on the Mühlviertel and South Bohemia, with images, films and original objects.
• Mensch und Natur im nördlichen Mühlviertel – Exhibition in the attic about settlers, knights, inhabitants of the Freiwald and life and work in the border region up to the 20th century.
• Zukunftsraum – The end of the tour, with food for thought and example projects on living within ecological limits.

Founded

2015

Operated by

Naturraum Grünes Band GmbH

Director

Josef Steininger

Admission & discounts

Through the “Schule und Museum” programme of the province of Upper Austria, school classes receive a 50% subsidised bus trip (subject to availability of funds).

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The building is built to be barrier-free: level access, a step-free lift and accessible toilets; two disabled parking spaces.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The centre offers its own children's and school programmes as well as camps on nature at the Green Belt, for example with wild herbs. Children and young people pay reduced admission, and families receive a family ticket.

Getting there & parking

By car via the A7 Mühlkreis motorway and Freistadt to Windhaag; from the Czech Republic via the Dolní Dvořiště border crossing. Address: Markt 11, 4263 Windhaag bei Freistadt.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

On opening days in the afternoon, coffee, cakes and ice cream. Shop with regional products; bicycle and equipment rental. Inns in the village.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Accessible lounge with event room and terrace (about 300 m², catering facilities for about 100 people, up to 60 people at a set table) for celebrations, meetings and presentations; the entire building can also be hired. Civil weddings from May to October via the Windhaag municipal office.

Plan your visit