Archäologisches Museum im Wasserturm
Small volunteer-run museum in the Rheindahlen water tower, with finds from the Paleolithic site in the Dreesen brickworks pit.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum is on the ground floor of the Rheindahlen water tower, in the immediate vicinity of the Dreesen brickworks pit. This is one of the most important Paleolithic sites in the Rhineland: in the clay deposits up to ten meters high, stone artifacts have been found since the beginning of the 20th century, documenting the development of Stone Age cultures over at least 500,000 years.
The museum was set up in 1996 by the Rheindahlen local historian and amateur archaeologist Toni Mennen. The premises were initially provided by Stadtwerke Mönchengladbach (municipal utilities); today it is NEW. After Mennen's death in 2007, Bernd Hussner took over management; he had supported him on guided tours since 1997, and a team of dedicated amateur archaeologists assists him.
On display are finds that Mennen and pit workers recovered from the brickworks pit, including Neanderthal tools, a three-part loess profile about eight meters high, and bones of Ice Age animals such as a mammoth shoulder blade. The finds from official excavations, by contrast, are kept in the archive of the Bonn State Museum or the Rhineland Office for Archaeological Monument Preservation (Rheinisches Amt für Bodendenkmalpflege).
Highlights
- Finds from the Paleolithic site at Rheindahlen
- Three-part loess profile about 8 m high
- Bones of Ice Age animals, such as a mammoth shoulder blade
- Stone tools of the Neanderthals
- Free admission
Permanent exhibition
- Steinzeit in Rheindahlen – Finds from the Paleolithic site in the Dreesen brickworks pit, with a loess profile and animal bones.
- Founded
- 1996
- Operated by
- Ehrenamtliches Team der Rheindahlener Amateurarchäologen (Räume der NEW)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission is free.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Max-Reger-Straße
From Rheydt take bus line 004 toward Mönchengladbach; from Mönchengladbach take bus line 017 toward Wegberg to Hilderather Straße and change there to line 004.
The site also houses the Mönchengladbach observatory (Sternwarte) and a hydrological station. By car, follow Max-Reger-Straße, which becomes Mennrather Straße, out of town until you reach the signs for "Hydrologische Station, Sternwarte, Archäologisches Museum."
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Special tours for groups of 5 or more people and for school classes by arrangement with Bernd Hussner. |
