Henriette-Davidis-Museum
Small museum in Wetter-Wengern about the cookbook author Henriette Davidis, with around 700 editions of her books and Biedermeier-era household items.
About the museum
Henriette Davidis was born in 1801, a pastor's daughter, in Wengern on the Ruhr, and with her "Praktisches Kochbuch" (Practical Cookbook) she became the best-known German cookbook author of the 19th century. The book went through 21 editions in her lifetime alone and was a staple of middle-class households for generations. She also wrote advice books for girls and housewives, worked as a governess and home economics teacher, and died in Dortmund in 1876.
The museum in her birthplace was initiated by Walter Methler, a pastor in Wengern, and opened in 1994. Since 2004 it has been housed in the "Mühlchen", a listed half-timbered house on the Elbschebach stream near the village church, built in the year the author was born.
The core of the collection is around 700 editions and printings of her works, including a version printed in the USA for German-speaking immigrants. In six rooms, the Biedermeier household also comes to life: an old kitchen and a children's play kitchen, household and garden tools, home medicine utensils, a servant's room, and all sorts of curiosities such as a flea trap. Run by volunteers, the museum opens on only a few dates a year, but groups can arrange visits year-round.
Highlights
- Around 700 editions and printings of Davidis's books
- Historic kitchen and children's play kitchen from the Biedermeier era
- Servant's room and home medicine equipment
- Half-timbered "Mühlchen" house from 1801 on the Elbschebach stream
- Curiosities such as a historic flea trap
Permanent exhibitions
- Leben und Werk von Henriette Davidis – The six-room exhibition combines the library of around 700 Davidis editions with furnished rooms showing a 19th-century household, from the kitchen to the servant's room.
- Founded
- 1994
- Director
- Walter Methler (ehrenamtliche Museumsverwaltung)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €1.50free up to age 13 · Children under 14 accompanied by an adult free; young people aged 14 and over €1.50. |
| Groups (10+ people) | –Groups of 10 or more year-round by arrangement; price on request. |
No other discounts are listed on the website.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
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
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Group visits and guided tours outside the opening dates can be arranged by phone (tel. 02335 61116). |
