Besucherzentrum Welterbe Grube Messel
Museum and visitor center at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Grube Messel, with original fossils, outdoor grounds and tours into the oil shale pit.
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About the museum
The Messel pit was for decades an oil shale open-cast mine. From the late 19th century, the rock was systematically mined and processed industrially; excavators, chain conveyors and retorts shaped operations. It was precisely this massive intervention that exposed the exceptionally well-preserved fossils, which were later studied scientifically.
In the 1970s the pit was to become a landfill. A citizens' initiative prevented the plan and saved the site. In 1995, the Grube Messel became Germany's first World Natural Heritage Site, recognized by UNESCO.
Today the Welterbe Grube Messel gGmbH operates a visitor center, museum, bistro and shop on the edge of the pit. The permanent exhibition shows original fossils, a film on the history of the site and interactive stations, and tells of life some 47 million years ago and of the industrial history of the place. The outdoor grounds, with forest art, play equipment and a viewing platform, are freely accessible; only guided tours lead into the pit itself.
Highlights
- Original fossils and interactive stations in the permanent exhibition
- Guided tours down into the pit, including by electric vehicle
- GRAB’MAL: split oil shale yourself and search for fossils
- Outdoor grounds with forest art, play equipment and viewing platform
- Bistro and museum shop
Permanent exhibition
- Ein Fenster in die Urzeit – Original fossils and interactive stations show how the pit was formed, what life looked like 47 million years ago, and how industrial history shaped the place.
- Operated by
- Welterbe Grube Messel gGmbH
- Director
- Philipe E. Havlik
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Children aged 6 to 17, students, trainees, BFD/FSJ/FÖJ volunteers, people with severe disabilities, holders of the Museumspass of the Deutscher Museumsbund |
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 5 · Children aged 6 to 17 pay the reduced price. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €5companion free |
| Students & apprentices | €5 |
| Groups (20+ people) | €5 per personFor groups of 20 or more people, the reduced price applies. |
| Families | €17Up to 5 people (1–2 adults and 1–4 children up to 17 years old). |
| Small pit tour (1 hour) | €10Reduced €8, families €24 |
| Large pit tour (2 hours) | €14Reduced €11, families €35 |
| Family tour (2 hours) | €14Reduced €11, families €35; only for families with at least one child aged 6 to 10 |
| Research tour (2 hours) | €14Reduced €11, families €35 |
| Welterbe-Express (1 hour) | €25Per person, including museum ticket and coffee and cake in the bistro |
| Welterbe-Express (2 hours) | €35Per person, including museum ticket and a picnic in the pit |
| GRAB’MAL (45 min.) | €5Reduced €3.50 |
| Geo workshop (2.5 hours) | €9Price per child |
| Combined ticket: small pit tour + museum | €14Reduced €11, families €35 |
| Museum tour (1 hour) | €4Plus museum admission |
Museum tickets are always day tickets. Children under 6 and companions of people with a “B” marker are admitted free. With the FamilienApp Hessen there is a 20% discount on the family ticket (only when paying on site). The outdoor grounds are free of charge.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The exhibition rooms are wheelchair accessible. One-hour pit tours are possible by wheelchair if a companion helps with the height difference; the Welterbe-Express tours are barrier-free except for getting on and off the electric vehicle. Certified assistance dogs are also allowed in the exhibition.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €17 · Up to 5 people (1–2 adults and 1–4 children up to 17 years old). |
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Stroller-friendly
- Playground / play area
- Kids’ birthday parties
Family tour for children aged 6 to 10, GRAB’MAL for fossil hunting, a children's expedition and a geo workshop; the outdoor area has themed play equipment and a sandpit for digging up fossils. One-hour tours are possible with a stroller; for two-hour tours, an all-terrain stroller is advisable. Children's birthday parties (2 hours) on request.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Messel – Grube Messel Besucherzentrum Abzweig · 600 m
Bus to "Messel – Grube Messel Besucherzentrum Abzweig", then about 600 m on foot; Messel train station is about 2 km away.
By car
Free parking
Free parking at the museum, including disabled parking spaces and free parking for buses.
- Accessible parking
Enter Roßdörfer Str. 108, 64409 Messel in the navigation device, and not the district "Grube Messel".
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Bistro with Flammkuchen (tarte flambée), snacks, cake, ice cream and drinks, with a terrace; the bistro and museum shop are accessible without a museum visit.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Permitted for private purposes without flash. |
| Good to know | Entry to the pit is only possible with a guided tour; tickets are available online or, subject to availability, on site. Firm, flat footwear with a grip sole is mandatory (limited shoe rental). Tours take place in almost all weather, but may be cancelled in icy conditions, storms or severe weather. Dogs are only allowed on tours, on a leash and with the agreement of the group, and not in the exhibition. Smoking is prohibited in the pit, and fossils and rocks may not be taken away. Objects in the exhibition can be collected digitally via QR code (project "Grube Messel digital"). |
