Large open-air museum run by the LWL in Detmold, with around 120 historic buildings from Westphalia and a new Forum open year-round.
October 2, 2026 – April 4, 2027
The first major special exhibition in the new Forum, about four building materials and their cultural history, featuring among other things Le Corbusier's original drawing for the Maison Dom-Ino.
In 1960 the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association) decided to establish an open-air museum for all of Westphalia in Detmold. After a good ten years of construction, the LWL-Freilichtmuseum Detmold opened its gates in July 1971 on the edge of the town, toward the Teutoburg Forest.
Since then, around 120 historic buildings from all regions of Westphalia-Lippe have been dismantled and faithfully re-erected on some 90 hectares – farmsteads, mills, workshops and an entire village. The building groups are arranged by region: farms from the Osnabrück and Minden areas in the north, the Paderborn village in the east, the Sauerland village and Siegerland hamlet in the south, and Münsterland farms in the west. Together they illustrate around 500 years of rural living, working and farming.
Since the 1980s the museum has placed great emphasis on landscape ecology, with historic gardens, fields and old breeds of domestic animals; since 2001 it has bred the rare Senner horse.
With the opening of a new entrance and exhibition building, the Forum, in July 2026, the museum was renamed LWL-Museum Hellerlecht. The Low German term means roughly "in broad daylight." Since then the museum has been open year-round and presents major changing special exhibitions in the Forum.
| Adults | €12 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €6School students, university students and apprentices up to age 30, volunteer service participants, people with a severe disability rating (GdB) of 50 or more, social benefit recipients |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Children and teens under 18 free |
| Seniors | –No senior discount listed |
| Visitors with disabilities | €6companion free · Reduced for a disability rating (GdB) of 50 or more |
| Students & apprentices | €6Up to age 30 |
| Groups (16+ people) | €9 per personAdult groups; up to 2 accompanying adults for school classes free |
| Families | –No family ticket; children under 18 free |
| Winter rate (November–March) | €8Reduced €4 |
| LWL-MuseumsCard (annual pass for all LWL museums) | €50Reduced €15 |
| Carriage ride | €4Children €2, cash only |
| Handcart rental | €2 |
Free admission: Free admission days 2026: March 28, May 17, July 3–5, August 7, September 4, October 2, November 6.
Prices apply during the open-air season; reduced rate in winter. Special exhibition MATERIA included in admission.
Free loaner wheelchairs at the entrance building; the Forum is mostly at ground level (elevator occasionally out of service, in which case the upper floor cannot be reached). The grounds partly have gravel, cobblestones and slopes; carriage rides are an alternative. Accessible restrooms at four locations, tactile guidance system, tours in German Sign Language (DGS) and for visually impaired people, drop-off zone at the entrance.
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
Spielescheune (indoor play barn, up to age 12, separate area for little ones) and a natural play area with a stream and soccer field in the Paderborn village; hands-on house and mill workshop; rally in the museum app. Handcart rental for a small fee, carriage rides.
Friedenstal
From Detmold station, bus line 701 (toward Berlebeck) or 782 (toward Bad Meinberg) to "Friedenstal", then a few minutes on foot.
Free parking
Free parking lot right at the entrance; when it is full, overflow parking at Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 15. Accessible parking spaces at the entrance and behind the Paderborn village. Tour buses are not allowed in the museum parking lot (bus bay at the Freilichtmuseum stop, Paderborner Straße).
GPS address: Krummes Haus, 32760 Detmold.
Get directionsBistro Hellerlecht in the Forum, inns Tiergartenkrug, Im Weißen Ross and Hase & Igel, museum bakery; picnics allowed.
Up to 35 guests.
Civil weddings (branch of the Detmold registry office) in the Scheune Kroll (Kroll barn) and Haus Schwenger in the Paderborn village, each for up to 35 guests, flat fee €300; celebrations in the museum's restaurants.
Inquiries & details| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The grounds are very extensive (90 ha) – sturdy footwear recommended; 3D model of the grounds in the foyer for orientation. |
Cookies help you use this website. We only load the map and statistics with your consent.
