Bergisches Museum für Bergbau, Handwerk und Gewerbe

About the museum

Citizens of Bensberg founded the museum in 1927 as a local history museum; it opened on March 31, 1928 – initially in a side room of Bensberg Palace. From 1929, Richard Zörner set up a show adit in the so-called Türmchenhaus on the moat, a former prison building; little by little the entire collection moved there. A fire destroyed the lecture hall and valuable furnishings in 1952.

Under its present name, the municipal museum reopened in 1981. It holds the largest collection on the history of ore mining in the former Bensberg district, where from the 19th century until the closure of the Lüderich mine in 1978 mainly sphalerite and galena were extracted. The walk-in visitor adit created in the 1930s with a cage, mine cart and water-pumping engine is one of the highlights.

On the outdoor grounds stand Bergisch half-timbered houses with workshops of traditional crafts, a hammer mill and a farm garden with old varieties; on Sundays during the season, volunteers demonstrate forging, weaving or spinning. After defects in the electrical system, the museum had to close in February 2026. Since July 1, 2026 the outdoor grounds and workshops have been accessible again; the main building and adit remain closed for the time being.

Highlights

• Walk-in visitor adit with cage and water-pumping engine (currently closed)
• Largest collection on ore mining in the Bensberg district
• Half-timbered houses with historic craft workshops on the outdoor grounds
• Farm garden with old Bergisch vegetable, fruit and herb varieties
• "Tree of Religions" (Baum der Religionen) with seven old apple varieties
• Wedding room in the historic hammer mill

Permanent exhibitions

• Erzbergbau im Bensberger Revier – Exhibits, photos and maps on the mining of zinc and lead ore from the 19th century to 1978, plus the rebuilt visitor adit in the basement. The main building and adit are currently closed.
• Leben und Arbeiten im Bergischen – Half-timbered houses with workshops of the blacksmith, wheelwright, weaver and other crafts, flax processing and a farm garden show everyday life about 150 years ago.

Founded

1928

Operated by

Stadt Bergisch Gladbach (Veranstaltungen und Vermittlung: Förderverein des Bergischen Museums für Bergbau, Handwerk und Gewerbe e. V.)

Director

Laura Oehms

Admission & discounts

Free for special-needs schools as well as members of the Deutscher Museumsbund, the NRW-Stiftung and the Förderverein.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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

Partially accessible: step-free side entrance for people with walking difficulties, wheelchair users and strollers (please notify the visitor service). Paths on the outdoor grounds are mostly cobblestone, in places with a steep slope; many workshops have thresholds or steps. Elevator in the main building (currently closed). Folding stools available to borrow. Dogs on a leash only on the outdoor grounds.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly
• Kids’ birthday parties

Quiz booklet "Museumsdetektive" for children aged 5 to 11 (€3) with a treasure hunt. Family event days, craft demonstrations and holiday programs; museum festival on the first Sunday in August. Children's birthday parties on Fridays 15:00–18:30 for up to 8 children (ages 5–11) with a scavenger hunt, package €123, activities such as felting or candle decorating €70 extra each. Strollers can enter the museum via the step-free side entrance.

Getting there & parking

A4 from Köln-Ost interchange toward Olpe to exit 20 Bergisch Gladbach/Bensberg, then via Overather Straße; alternatively B55 from Cologne. Signposted in town.

Amenities & dining

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

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 30 guests.

Civil wedding ceremonies on Saturdays in the historic attic room of the hammer mill for up to 30 guests, followed by a sparkling wine reception on the outdoor grounds for up to 50 people (1 hour €180, 3 hours €360). Dates are assigned by the Bergisch Gladbach registry office.

Plan your visit