Moormuseum Moordorf

About the museum

The idea for a museum about the Moordorf moor colony arose in 1978: until the 1950s, poor clay huts had shaped the look of the village, and culture enthusiasts around the teacher Peter Schallmeier wanted to rebuild such a dwelling true to the original. The association Moormuseum Moordorf was founded on February 9, 1979. Not all locals were enthusiastic; many no longer wanted to be reminded of the colony's hardship.

On a bog site previously used as a garbage dump, around 25 volunteers spent almost four years building huts and houses every Saturday, obtained building materials from demolition houses, and even grew rye to obtain long straw for the roofs. In 1983/84 an exhibition building with a tea room was built, and the site opened on July 13, 1984. Co-founder Enno Schmidt coined the nickname "Museum of Poverty."

On about 3.2 hectares, the open-air museum shows clay and sod huts as well as other buildings that illustrate the life of the colonists after Frederick II's land reclamation edict of 1765: living, peat cutting, moor burning, and old craft techniques. An exhibition hall with tools and household goods complements the outdoor area, and a boardwalk leads through a stretch of raised bog to a viewing platform. The museum is still run by the association today.

Highlights

• Reconstructed clay and sod huts of the moor colonists
• Boardwalk through the raised bog with viewing platform
• Hands-on action days on peat cutting, hut building, and mat weaving
• Exhibition hall with tools for peat cutting
• Tea room "Torfhuus" with East Frisian tea ceremony

Permanent exhibitions

• Freigelände mit Lehmhütten und Hochmoor – Reconstructed clay and sod huts show the living and working world of the first moor settlers; a boardwalk leads through the raised bog to a viewing platform.
• Ausstellungshalle zur Geschichte Moordorfs – Household goods, peat-cutting tools, and short films explain why colonists moved into the moor and under what conditions they lived.

Founded

1984

Operated by

Moormuseum Moordorf e. V.

Admission & discounts

Prices as of January 1, 2026. Hands-on projects (clay treading, mat weaving, baking) cost €20 per hour plus €1 for materials per child. Members of the museum association have free admission during regular opening hours.

Accessibility

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

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

The museum sees itself as a hands-on museum: in July and August there are action days twice a month on which visitors can try peat cutting, hut building, and mat weaving themselves. For children there is a museum quiz, a film about childhood in Moordorf around 1920, as well as children's tours and project days, also for holiday care programs.

Getting there & parking

GPS address: Moormuseum, Grenzstraße 8a (parking lot), 26624 Südbrookmerland.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Tea room "Torfhuus" with tea, coffee, cake, and pancakes, with a tea ceremony on request. Museum shop with souvenirs, porcelain, and sheep products. E-bike station for cyclists. Dogs are not allowed on the grounds; there is a dog parking area that can be seen from the museum.

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit