CCO-Fastnachtsmuseum Lahnstein
Small carnival museum in Schloss Martinsburg in Oberlahnstein, with medals, fool's caps and uniforms of Middle Rhine carnival. Admission free.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Fastnachtsmuseum belongs to the Carneval Comité Oberlahnstein e. V. (CCO), which has organized the Rose Monday parade in Lahnstein since 1935. The association has rented the rooms since 1995, and the museum opened in September 1996. It is located in Schloss Martinsburg, the former 13th-century customs castle in the Oberlahnstein district, and uses the historic Gothic hall, about 70 square meters in size.
On display are hundreds of carnival medals from the surrounding area and from Mainz, an extensive collection from Cologne, and individual pieces from the USA and England. There are also fool's caps, scepters, uniforms and carnival curiosities, plus photographs and texts on the history of Lahnstein carnival. The focus is on Middle Rhine carnival, especially in the Rhein-Lahn district, supplemented by objects from Koblenz, Mainz and Cologne.
The association's archive and storerooms are considerably larger than the display and not accessible. For that reason the items shown change from year to year. The museum is looked after by a team from the active carnival scene, who like to share anecdotes about the exhibits. In flood years the start of the museum season may be delayed.
Highlights
- Hundreds of carnival medals from Lahnstein, Mainz, Cologne and abroad
- Fool's caps, scepters and uniforms from many decades
- Historic Gothic hall in Schloss Martinsburg
- Exhibits that rotate yearly from the association's archive
- Admission free, donations welcome
Permanent exhibition
- Sammlung zum mittelrheinischen Karneval – Carnival medals, fool's caps, scepters, uniforms, photos and texts on Lahnstein carnival, with objects from Koblenz, Mainz and Cologne. The selection changes every year.
- Founded
- 1996
- Operated by
- Carneval Comité Oberlahnstein e. V. (CCO)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups | –Group tours and historic walks for a small fee; price on request. |
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Admission free; donations are welcome.
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 car
Parking available
Parking at the Rhine promenade, signposted in the district. The museum entrance is in the castle's inner courtyard (not via the castle park).
From the B 42, take the Lahnstein Mitte exit, then through the town via Südallee into Bürgermeister-Müller-Straße, to the parking lot by the Rhine.
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 |
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| Good to know | Groups arrange tours with the museum director Eva Bonn at museum@cco-lahnstein.de. The “Historischer Spaziergang” (historic walk) starts at the Münzbrunnen and leads through the Hintermauergasse to the museum in the Martinsschloss. |
