Heimatmuseum Unser Fritz

About the museum

The museum goes back to 1926, the year the town of Wanne-Eickel was formed: citizens interested in local history then put together their own collection and set up a local history museum, which passed into municipal ownership in 1940. In the first decades it moved several times; war, evacuations and losses changed the holdings considerably.

Since the late 1960s the museum has used the building of a former elementary school in the Unser Fritz district, not far from the Rhine-Herne Canal. For a long time it operated as the Heimat- und Naturkunde-Museum Wanne-Eickel. After a comprehensive remodeling it reopened in 2017 under its current name.

Today it is one of three sites of the municipal Emschertal-Museum. The permanent exhibition "Herzkammer" tells the everyday history of the "little people" in the two mining towns of Herne and Wanne-Eickel between about 1890 and 1980 – representative of the whole Ruhr region. On view are, among other things, a reconstructed mine tunnel, a pub, living-room furniture in the Gelsenkirchener Barock style, and a walk-in drugstore with Art Nouveau furnishings.

A historic classroom around 1900 recalls the building's earlier use; furniture and teaching materials come as a long-term loan from the former Bochum school museum. Outside the museum stand the figures of a miner, a railway worker and an inland waterway skipper, which once symbolized the most important industries of Wanne-Eickel.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition "Herzkammer" on everyday history 1890–1980
• Walk-in drugstore with Art Nouveau furnishings
• Reconstructed mine tunnel and Ruhr region pub
• Historic classroom around 1900
• Kiosk ("Bude") with Fortuna figure
• Figures of a miner, a railway worker and an inland waterway skipper

Permanent exhibitions

• Herzkammer – Everyday and social history of Herne and Wanne-Eickel from about 1890 to 1980 with mine tunnel, pub, living room and a walk-in Art Nouveau drugstore.
• Schule anno 1900 – Furnished classroom of the imperial era with desks and teaching materials from the former Bochum school museum.

Founded

1926

Operated by

Stadt Herne (Emschertal-Museum)

Admission & discounts

Children's birthday parties cost 70 euros (weekend/holiday 90 euros) including admission; programs for school classes 30 euros per class.

Accessibility

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

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Kids’ birthday parties

Children's birthday parties "Schatzsuche" (treasure hunt, ages 8 and up) and "Auf den Spuren von Sherlock Holmes" (In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes, ages 7 and up) for up to 10 children, Tuesday to Sunday 14:30–17:00. For daycare and school groups there are hands-on programs such as "Kinderalltag um 1900" (children's daily life around 1900; washing laundry, polishing shoes) and "Schule anno 1900" with slate board and old aprons.

Getting there & parking

By car via the A 42, exit Herne-Wanne.

Amenities & dining

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

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit