Internationales Wind- und Wassermühlen-Museum

About the museum

The impetus came from the Gifhorn businessman Horst Wrobel, who became fascinated by historic mills in the mid-1960s; he first had models built and then assembled original mills and replicas. The Internationales Wind- und Wassermühlen-Museum (International Wind and Water Mill Museum) opened on the outskirts of Gifhorn on May 8, 1980.

Today 13 mills stand on the grounds of around 15 hectares, crisscrossed by ponds and streams, including buildings modeled on examples from Germany, Tyrol, Greece, Ukraine, Hungary, Portugal, Mallorca and Provence. A large exhibition hall displays scale models of mills from around 20 countries and explains the variety of mill types.

In 1995 a Russian Orthodox wooden church with gilded domes was added; today it is run as a separate museum area with its own admission.

In 2021 the town of Gifhorn bought the museum from the founding family; since 2023 the V+T Internationales Mühlenmuseum GmbH has operated the site as leaseholder. After renovation, the museum reopened in May 2023, and at the same time a freely accessible village square with food and drink, a farm shop and an event space was created.

Highlights

• 13 original and replica windmills and watermills from several countries
• Exhibition hall with more than 40 scale models of mills
• Russian Orthodox wooden church with gilded domes
• Expansive landscape of ponds and waterways
• Freely accessible village square with markets and festivals

Founded

1980

Operated by

V+T Internationales Mühlenmuseum GmbH (Eigentümerin: Stadt Gifhorn)

Admission & discounts

Prices for the 2026 season. The wooden church is a separate museum area with its own admission. The village square with beer garden and farm shop is free to enter.

Accessibility

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

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum considers itself a family-friendly destination; markets, workshops, and event days such as World Children's Day take place on the village square.

Getting there & parking

Via the B4 (exit Gifhorn-Zentrum) and the B188 toward Wolfsburg; the museum is located opposite the Helios Klinikum.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop

Restaurant and café in the Trachtenhaus, beer garden, farm shop on the village square; mill shop with café in the town center (Steinweg 42). Dogs allowed on a leash.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

The Backhaus (bakehouse) and Trachtenhaus are available as event venues (weddings, birthdays, company parties); celebrant-led weddings outdoors in front of the wooden church, no weddings indoors. Inquiries: gastronomie@muehlenmuseum.de

Plan your visit