Emsland Archäologie Museum

About the museum

The museum opened on May 20, 1996, as the Ausstellungszentrum für die Archäologie des Emslandes at the Koppelschleuse in Meppen; the sponsor is the Emsland district. It presents finds and excavation results from the entire district and is closely linked to the district archaeology office, whose excavations continually expand the collection. With this district-wide focus it is one of the four Emslandmuseen.

In 2019/2020 the building was converted and expanded. Since then the present Emsland Archäologie Museum shares the modern site with the Stadtmuseum Meppen; a bright exhibition hall has room for two permanent exhibitions as well as special exhibitions and events. The permanent archaeological exhibition was redesigned in the process, but kept its chronological structure and gained several multimedia stations. In 2023 a donated collection of Mesolithic small tools from the Haren area was added.

The tour begins with a hoard of 384 silver coins discovered near Haren in 1997 and then leads from the first hunter-gatherers through the megalithic tombs of the Neolithic, the Bronze Age with the Sögel group, and the Iron Age to contacts with the Roman Empire and the Migration Period. Models of houses and farmsteads, reconstructions, and the facial reconstruction of the bog body "Roter Franz" bring the world of the early inhabitants to life. One focus of the work is education: experience workshops, school programs, and children's birthday parties invite visitors to try out early craft techniques themselves.

Highlights

• Haren coin hoard with 384 silver coins (around 1250)
• Facial reconstruction of the bog body "Roter Franz"
• Hand axe from Twist as the oldest evidence of humans in the Emsland
• Reconstruction of a megalithic tomb and house models
• Bronze swords of the Sögel type
• Roman figures of gods, coins, and fibulae

Permanent exhibitions

• Archäologie des Emslandes – Chronological tour through about 40,000 years of prehistory and early history from the Paleolithic to the Migration Period, with original finds, models, reconstructions, and multimedia stations.

Founded

1996

Operated by

Landkreis Emsland

Director

Lisa Schadow

Admission & discounts

Events have their own admission prices.

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

Experience workshops (approx. 45 min. each, €3 per person) on pottery as in the Stone Age, making a Roman board game, cooking a Stone Age meal, or archery. Children's birthday parties from age 8 with tour and hands-on activity (max. 15 children, approx. 2.5 hours, €7 per child including admission and materials); a birthday menu can be reserved at the neighboring Café Koppelschleuse.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

Café Koppelschleuse is right next door.

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit