Heimatmuseum Wennigsen

About the museum

The museum is housed in the former "Obere Mühle" on the Mühlenbetriebsgraben (mill race). The half-timbered house with its mill wheel was built around 1700 as one of several water mills the village originally had, and is among the oldest buildings in Wennigsen. The municipality acquired the building and designated it a local history museum in the mid-1970s; it opened in 1975.

Since 1974, the museum has been run by the volunteer Förderkreis Heimatmuseum Wennigsen (friends' association). It collects, preserves and researches evidence of local history, organizes special exhibitions, guided tours, lectures and festivals, and funds its work through donations and membership fees. As the owner, the municipality of Wennigsen takes care of the building's maintenance.

The permanent exhibition is spread over three floors. On the first floor is the "Calenberger Amtsstube" (Calenberg official's office), designed with old timberwork, with a small local history library and a Bible from 1648; further rooms tell of farm life and the work of the miners in the Deister hills. On the second floor are a classroom, a pharmacy, living and sleeping rooms, a kitchen and a natural history collection; in the attic are craft workshops and tools from the village's trade history.

Part of the open concept is that Wennigsen clubs and groups can also show their own exhibitions on their history. Since 2008, the "gute Stube" (parlor) has also served as the municipality's wedding room.

Highlights

• Half-timbered building of the former Upper Mill with mill wheel (around 1700)
• Calenberger Amtsstube with Bible from 1648
• Historic classroom and pharmacy
• Section on mining in the Deister hills
• Craft workshops in the attic

Permanent exhibitions

• Wohnen, Leben und Arbeiten im alten Wennigsen – Across three floors, the official's office, farming and mining rooms, classroom, pharmacy, living rooms, kitchen and craft workshops take visitors through the everyday history of the village.

Founded

1975

Operated by

Förderkreis Heimatmuseum Wennigsen e. V.

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free; donations are welcome.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• 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

The first floor is wheelchair-accessible.

Kids & families

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

Getting there & parking

The museum is on Mühlendammweg in the town center and is easy to reach on foot or by car.

Amenities & dining

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

Events & venue rental

• Weddings / ceremonies

Civil weddings in "Omas gute Stube" (Grandma's parlor); information from Tourismus-Service Wennigsen, tel. 05103 7007-974.

Plan your visit