Alsfelder Märchenhaus

About the museum

The Märchenhaus (Fairy Tale House) occupies an early 17th-century half-timbered townhouse in a narrow lane of Alsfeld's old town. The town acquired the building in the 1960s, initially intending to tear it down; in 1969 the town council then voted to preserve it.

The house opened as the Märchenhaus in January 2005. The idea came from the local tourism association, and the rooms were furnished by an Alsfeld couple who also shaped the fairy-tale storytelling for many years. Today the town's Tourist Center looks after the house.

On the lower floors, scenes from well-known Brothers Grimm fairy tales are recreated, such as Hansel and Gretel, Mother Holle or the wolf in grandmother's bed. There is also a storytelling room and a gloomily furnished witch's parlor. The top floor displays an important private dollhouse collection from a family in Herbstein: more than 80 dollhouse rooms with hundreds of dolls, mostly made in the Erzgebirge region, recreating late 19th-century home life in miniature.

Highlights

• Fairy-tale rooms on Grimms' tales such as Hansel and Gretel, Mother Holle and Little Red Riding Hood
• Storytelling room with fairy-tale storytellers
• Witch's parlor (“Hexestubb”) with a witch's cauldron and tinctures
• Dollhouse floor with more than 80 historic dollhouses
• Early 17th-century half-timbered house in the old town

Permanent exhibitions

• Märchenzimmer der Brüder Grimm – Lovingly furnished rooms on two floors recreate scenes from Grimms' fairy tales, along with a storytelling room and a spooky witch's parlor.
• Alsfelder Puppenstuben – A private collection of more than 80 historic dollhouses from two centuries, showing everyday life in the German Empire era in miniature.

Founded

2005

Operated by

Stadt Alsfeld (Tourist Center Alsfeld)

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Kids’ birthday parties

Explicitly designed for young and old: fairy-tale rooms, a storytelling room and bookable fairy-tale performances. Children's birthday parties, daycare groups and school classes are welcome by registration.

Getting there & parking

The house is in the old town near the market square; the Tourist Center is at Markt 3.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit