Historisches Museum am Strom - Hildegard von Bingen

About the museum

The Historisches Museum am Strom – Hildegard von Bingen is the central institution for the history of the town of Bingen and works closely with the affiliated municipal archive. It was established to mark the 900th anniversary of Hildegard of Bingen's birth in 1998. It is housed in the former power station of 1898, a listed building with a large machine hall and neo-Gothic windows, which supplied the town with three-phase current from 1898 to 1928. The freight elevator of 1917 is integrated into an exhibition hall.

The largest section is devoted to Hildegard of Bingen as a historical figure of the 12th century and to how her work has been perceived through the centuries. Other focal points are Rhine Romanticism and the history of the Middle Rhine valley, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site just a few steps from the Binger Loch, as well as Roman times. The outstanding piece is the Bingen surgical instrument set found in 1925, with 67 surgical instruments from the 2nd century AD.

The exhibition area covers about 750 square meters and is barrier-free; there is also an area for temporary exhibitions and a hands-on workshop for young visitors. The museum also includes the Hildegarten and the Villa am Rupertsberg with its cloister arcades.

Highlights

• Largest Hildegard of Bingen exhibition
• Bingen surgical instrument set from the 2nd century with 67 instruments
• Rhine Romanticism and Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage Site
• Former 1898 power station by the Binger Loch
• Hildegarten and Villa am Rupertsberg

Permanent exhibitions

• Hildegard von Bingen – The museum's largest section shows the life and work of the abbess, naturalist and composer in everyday life in the 12th century, and her influence to this day.
• 2000 Jahre Stadtgeschichte – The town history exhibition "Bingen – ein Brückenschlag durch zwei Jahrtausende" traces the arc from the Romans to the present.
• Das Binger Ärztebesteck – The set of 67 surgical instruments from the 2nd century, discovered in a grave during road work in 1925, is considered the largest coherent find of ancient medicine in the world.

Operated by

Stadt Bingen am Rhein (Kulturamt)

Admission & discounts

Foreign-language guided tours cost €10 extra.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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 museum can be reached via ramps; all exhibition rooms are accessible by elevator and passable by wheelchair. A spacious accessible restroom is on the first floor. Inclusive tours are offered for people with disabilities.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Kids’ birthday parties

Guided tours and workshops for children in the hands-on workshop, children's birthday parties, museum trunks and a children's rally along the Hildegardweg.

Getting there & parking

Via the A 60, exit 13 Bingen-Ost, follow the signs for "Bingen-Zentrum"; at the second traffic light turn right, following the "Museum" signs. Navigation address: Museumstraße 3, 55411 Bingen.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop with the museum's own publications, specialist literature, postcards and souvenirs.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit