Museum der Stadt Alfeld (Leine)

About the museum

The Alfeld Latin School was built from 1610 by the Hildesheim master builder Andreas Steiger after the previous building had become dilapidated; Superintendent Bartholomäus Sengebär had collected donations for it. More than 100 carved reliefs on the facade – virtues, the nine Muses, prophets, evangelists and figures from antiquity – translate Philipp Melanchthon's humanist-Reformation educational program into images. The building is regarded as an outstanding example of northern German half-timbered art from the early 17th century.

After the Latin School, a citizens' school moved into the building in 1784 and a teachers' seminary in 1813. In 1928 the municipal museum was founded here, tracing back to a collection of historical objects begun around 1900; apart from the years 1943 to 1949, it has been housed in the Latin School ever since.

The permanent exhibition follows Alfeld's development from a medieval trading center to an industrial location of the 20th century and shows archaeological finds from the prehistory and early history of the Leine valley. Since 1933 there has been an animal museum in the neighboring half-timbered house: in landscape dioramas from the 1930s stand mounted animals of more than 100 species from around the world, including Sumatran tigers and the extinct thylacine. They recall that Alfeld was long home to two internationally active animal trading firms – the Ruhe company was considered the largest animal dealer in the world in the 1920s.

Highlights

• Half-timbered Latin School of 1610 with over 100 carved reliefs
• Local history from trading center to industrial town
• Archaeological finds from the Leine valley
• Animal museum with over 100 animal species in dioramas from the 1930s
• History of the Alfeld animal trade
• Free admission

Permanent exhibitions

• Stadtgeschichte Alfeld – The permanent exhibition in the Latin School traces Alfeld's path from a medieval trading center to an industrial town and shows archaeological finds from the Leine valley.
• Tiermuseum – Mounted animals of over 100 species in dioramas from the 1930s recall Alfeld's time as a center of the international animal trade.

Founded

1928

Operated by

Stadt Alfeld (Leine)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free.

Accessibility

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

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

The animal museum with its landscape dioramas expressly appeals to visitors both big and small.

Getting there & parking

By car via the A7 and the B3 (exit Limmer), then continue via the Nordtangente. The museum is located at the Kirchhof next to St. Nicolai Church.

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