Heimatmuseum Calau

About the museum

The origins of the Calau local heritage museum go back to 1911, when Pastor Otto Lützen assembled a collection of local antiquities, which was first kept in the little tower room of the town hall. After he left town, the collection remained without care for a long time until teacher Bernhard Menzel took it over in 1927 and continued it.

On the occasion of an annual meeting of the Niederlausitzer Gesellschaft für Geschichte und Altertumsforschung (Lower Lusatian Society for History and Archaeology), the collection moved into the Alte Mädchenschule (Old Girls' School), a half-timbered house from 1789 next to the town church, and it opened as a local heritage museum on May 25, 1935. The war severely damaged the building and the holdings; in 1961, after the town's reconstruction, the museum was able to reopen, supported by master potter Fritz Natusch and later by local heritage enthusiasts and town chroniclers.

On display are early finds from gravel and clay pits and from urn fields, guild objects from Calau's crafts, documents on regional events, postal history, and personalities such as Carl Anwandter. The shoemakers' corner, which recalls the many shoemakers of the town, is particularly well known. From August 2025 to February 2026, the listed building was renovated: the roof received a new Biberschwanz (plain tile) covering, the west gable was restored, and the façade and half-timbering were repainted.

Highlights

• Shoemakers' corner on Calau's shoemaking tradition
• Early finds and urn field finds
• Guild objects from Calau's crafts
• Documents on postal history and personalities such as Carl Anwandter
• Listed half-timbered house from 1789 next to the town church

Permanent exhibition

• Calauer Stadtgeschichte und Handwerk – The permanent exhibition runs from early finds through guild pieces and the shoemakers' corner to documents on postal history and well-known residents of Calau.

Founded

1911

Operated by

Stadt Calau (ehrenamtliche Betreuung durch den Heimatverein Calau e. V.)

Admission & discounts

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Accessibility

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Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

The museum is at Kirchstraße 33, right next to the town church in the center of Calau.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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