Museum in Villmar on the geology, quarrying, and worldwide use of Lahn marble, with the Unica-Bruch, a National Geotope.
March 28, 2026 – October 25, 2026
Information panels on buildings from the late Baroque to the early 20th century in which Lahn marble was used as an ornamental stone, such as the Rijksmuseum, Berlin Cathedral, and the Kurhaus in Wiesbaden.
Through October 25, 2026
A wall-high tapestry by textile designer Francesca Müller, inspired by the colors of the Unica-Bruch, displayed next to a large Unica slab; included in admission this season.
The idea for a museum devoted to Lahn marble arose in Weilburg and Villmar in the mid-1990s, after geologists recognized the uniqueness of the Unica-Bruch (Unica quarry), a fossilized stromatoporoid reef from the Middle Devonian. The Lahn-Marmor-Museum association was founded in 1997; it opened a first exhibition at Burg Runkel in 1998 and a small museum on Villmar's Brunnenplatz in 2005. That same year, the Unica-Bruch was declared a National Geotope.
With funding from the municipality of Villmar, from the state of Hesse via the EU's ERDF fund, and from sponsors, along with a great deal of volunteer work by the association, a new building with around 600 square meters of exhibition space was built in the Oberau from 2014 onward, designed by the Limburg architect André Kramm. In 2015, the Stiftung Lahn-Marmor-Museum was established, in which the municipality and the association are jointly represented and which has run the museum ever since. The new museum opened on March 20, 2016.
The permanent exhibition combines geology, the technical and social history of quarrying, processing, and transport, and the use of the stone in buildings ranging from churches and palaces to the Empire State Building. A 380-meter geological trail leads to the Unica-Bruch; the museum also serves as an information center for the Geopark Westerwald-Lahn-Taunus and is run largely by volunteers.
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4.50School students, university students, people with disabilities, Ehrenamtscard (volunteer card) holders |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 6 · Children under 7 free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €4.50 |
| Students & apprentices | €4.50 |
| Groups | –Guided tour of the museum €50 plus admission (approx. 1 hour); guided tour of the Unica-Bruch €50 (no admission charge); combined tour €80 plus admission. |
| Families | €15For a maximum of 2 adults with children; €12 with the FamilienApp Hessen (2 adults and up to 2 children aged 6 to 13). |
Discounts with the RheinMainCard. Members of the Lahn-Marmor-Museum e. V. are admitted free. The Unica-Bruch and the geological trail can be visited free of charge.
Step-free access to the main entrance, elevator to the upper floor; designated accessible parking spaces in the immediate vicinity. The paths into the natural Unica-Bruch are wheelchair-accessible. The museum offers advice before your visit.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Villmar (Bahnhof)
Lahntalbahn (Lahn Valley Railway) to Villmar station (RMV fare zone); the station is almost directly at the museum entrance. Service on the Lahntalbahn is currently limited.
Parking available
Parking at the museum; tour buses can turn and park in front of the museum (approach via Brechen recommended; from the direction of Runkel only up to 14 m in length with a rear steering axle).
By car via the A3, exit Limburg-Süd, or via the B 49, exit Runkel. The museum is on the Lahn cycle route R7 (Lahn-Marmor-Route) and near the Lahnhöhenweg hiking trail.
Get directionsMuseum shop in the foyer with specialist literature, objects and rough pieces of Lahn marble, fossils, and jewelry.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography for private purposes is permitted; photos intended for publication must be cleared with the museum in advance. |
| Good to know | Guided tours of the museum, the Unica-Bruch, and the Lahn-Marmor-Weg year-round by appointment (by phone during opening hours or by email); flat rates for daycare centers, schools, and universities (max. 30 people). Public guided tours of the museum and the Unica-Bruch on selected Sundays according to the annual program. Hikes and bike tours on request. Virtual tour online. |
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