Heimatmuseum Helfs Hof

About the museum

Helfs Hof in the Wattenscheid district of Sevinghausen is documented since the 15th century; its name is traced to the nearby Hellweg, an old trade route whose earlier course ran right past the farm. The owners held a hereditary right of use and, until feudal dues were abolished in 1813, owed levies to the Pilgrimhaus, a poorhouse and infirmary on the Hellweg. Together with neighboring farms, they also had to pay the so-called gallows tithe, which among other things financed provisions at executions held at the nearby gallows.

Today's main house is a four-post half-timbered building from the 17th and 18th centuries and is considered the oldest surviving house of its type in Wattenscheid. Preserved features include the paved threshing floor, the large open-hall kitchen (Fleetküche) with an open hearth whose core predates 1600, a two-part kitchen door bearing the year 1555, and a barrel-vaulted cellar. A residential wing was added around 1900; next to the house stands the former brick cowshed.

The then still independent town of Wattenscheid acquired the farm in 1968 and, at the initiative of local citizens, had it converted into a museum. It opened on December 18, 1974, shortly before Wattenscheid was incorporated into Bochum. Since 2003 the City of Bochum has run the house together with the Heimat- und Bürgerverein Wattenscheid, which looks after the collection; in the same year the farm was placed under heritage protection.

On about 200 square meters, the museum shows furniture, paintings, porcelain, and kitchen and garden tools from rural and middle-class households. Documents, pictures, and records trace the development of Wattenscheid. The historic kitchen also serves as a wedding venue for the Bochum registry office.

Highlights

• Large open-hall kitchen with open hearth, its core older than 1600
• Two-part kitchen door bearing the year 1555
• Original threshing floor and barrel-vaulted cellar
• Rural household and garden tools, furniture, porcelain, and oil paintings
• Documents and pictures on the history of Wattenscheid
• Two bells from Wattenscheid's Friedenskirche in front of the house

Permanent exhibitions

• Bäuerliches Leben und Wattenscheider Geschichte – Permanent exhibition in the historic farmhouse with household items, furniture, and tools from several centuries, plus documents and pictures on Wattenscheid's urban development.

Founded

1974

Operated by

Stadt Bochum (Kulturbüro und Kulturhistorische Museen) mit dem Heimat- und Bürgerverein Wattenscheid e. V.

Visitors per year

approx. 2,368 (2017)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission; guided tours by the Heimat- und Bürgerverein on request are also free.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: not available
• 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

Step-free entrance; no elevator and no accessible restroom.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

Recommended in Bochum's holiday pass (Ferienpass) as an outing for all age groups; the garden is a nice spot for a picnic.

Getting there & parking

The farm is located in the rural district of Sevinghausen in Bochum's Wattenscheid borough.

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 15 guests.

Civil weddings in the historic open-hall kitchen through the Bochum registry office (15 seats, no standing room, additional fee; dates in the city's wedding calendar).

Plan your visit