Römermuseum Güglingen

About the museum

It had been known since the late 18th century that Roman remains lay buried in the Güglingen field area “Ochsenwiesen/Steinäcker”; for a long time the site was thought to be a country estate. Only investigations from the 1990s onward and large-scale excavations by the Heilbronn district archaeology service from 1999 showed that a civilian market settlement (vicus) had stood here on the Zaber valley road, existing from about 120 AD until the mid-3rd century. Among the structures uncovered were strip houses, a bath and two sanctuaries of Mithras.

The listed Old Town Hall on the market square was converted to house the many finds. The building was erected in 1850 in the Württemberg Kameralamt style after the town fire of 1849 and served as the town hall until 1988. The decisive impetus for the museum was a large donation from the Güglingen architect Heinz Rall; the event hall on the third floor bears his name. In April 2008 the town of Güglingen opened the Römermuseum (Roman Museum), which it runs.

On three floors totaling around 300 square meters, it displays about 2,000 objects: the Zabergäu as a Roman settlement landscape, daily life, trade and crafts in the vicus, and religion and the cult of Mithras. Walk-in reconstructions, audio scenes in Latin and hands-on stations characterize the exhibition. At the original excavation site, a freely accessible open-air site with the partially reconstructed Mithraeum II, outlined house foundations and a well complements the visit; since 2017 it has included a 56.5-meter-long panoramic wall with scenes of life in the settlement.

Highlights

• Walk-in life-size reconstructions of a cellar, a strip house and a sanctuary of Mithras
• Sound installations with spoken Latin
• Odysseus reliefs from a Roman villa in Frauenzimmern
• Open-air site with the partially reconstructed Mithraeum II and a well
• Panoramic wall around 56 meters long with more than 70 scenes of daily life
• Museum café “Taberna Romana” on the market square

Permanent exhibitions

• Dauerausstellung: Römisches Leben im Zabergäu – Three floors on the Roman settlement landscape of the Zabergäu and the vicus of Güglingen – from daily life with trade and crafts to the worship of gods and the cult of Mithras, with walk-in reconstructions.
• Archäologische Freilichtanlage mit Panoramawand – At the excavation site, a partially reconstructed mithraeum, house foundations and a well show the layout of the vicus; a large picture wall brings life in the settlement to life.

Founded

2008

Operated by

Stadt Güglingen

Admission & discounts

Free admission with the Museums-PASS-Musées, the Landesfamilienpass Baden-Württemberg (state family pass) and for members of the Museumsverband Baden-Württemberg. The open-air site is free.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• 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

According to the museum, all three exhibition floors are accessible.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

Family tour every 3rd Sunday of the month (reduced admission or family ticket only). In the exhibition, drawers, flaps and hands-on stations such as a Roman steelyard balance, spinning or the board game rota invite visitors to try things out. For school classes there are workshops, for example on wax tablets, mosaics or Roman games.

Getting there & parking

GPS address: Marktstraße 18, 74363 Güglingen. Access e.g. via the A 6 (Sinsheim-Süd or Heilbronn/Untereisesheim exits) or the A 81 (Ilsfeld or Ludwigsburg-Nord exits). A footpath leads from the museum to the open-air site (orientation map on the website).

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Museum café “Taberna Romana” in the glazed annex overlooking the market square (around 30–40 seats), also serving the museum wines; museum shop with publications and items related to the museum.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties

Groups can rent the museum café (around 30–40 seats) for events, with catering by local caterers; application form as a PDF on the website.

Plan your visit