Museum Altes Land

Current exhibitions

About the museum

The museum's main building is an Altländer Fachhallenhaus (traditional hall house) 35 meters long, which the farmer Johann Mählmann rebuilt in 1823 on the foundations of a predecessor that had burned down. The history of the farmstead goes back to 1524; in 1821 the farm went bankrupt and was sold off in parcels. After 1978 the house stood empty and fell into decay, and in 1983 the rear part of the hall had to be demolished.

The Altländer Sparkasse (local savings bank) acquired the ruin, and with public funding a utilization concept was developed. Thoroughly renovated, the house has served as a museum since 1990. The farmstead ensemble also includes a drive-through barn from 1590 and a Baroque Altländer gate. The museum is run by the municipality of Jork; in March 2026 it received the Museumsgütesiegel (museum quality seal) of the Museumsverband Niedersachsen und Bremen.

On 320 square meters, the exhibition shows how constant interaction with water shaped the landscape and life: fruit growing and agriculture, canals and roads, furniture and costumes, Tante Rosa's Kolonialwarenladen (grocery store), fire brigades, post and transport, electrification, and shipyards, ferries and harbors.

Highlights

• Altländer Fachhallenhaus with drive-through barn from 1590
• Exhibition "Wasserbau erleben – Landschaft in Gezeiten" with Archimedes' screw and Borstel diorama
• Fruit-growing equipment, including an apple sorting machine
• Altes Land costumes and furniture from the formal parlor (Prunkstube)
• Tante Rosa's Kolonialwarenladen (grocery store)
• Starting point of the Hollerweg

Permanent exhibitions

• Wasserbau erleben – Landschaft in Gezeiten – Exhibition on land reclamation, storm surges, fruit growing and future prospects, with Archimedes' screw, diorama, listening stations and media terminals; starting point of the Hollerweg.
• Rundgang durch das Alte Land – Theme rooms on agriculture and fruit growing, canals and roads, furniture and costumes, the grocery store, fire brigade, transport, electricity, and shipyards and harbors.

Founded

1990

Operated by

Gemeinde Jork

Director

Dr. Kai Janofsky

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is accessible at ground level for wheelchair users; since 2021 an elevator in the main building leads to the rooms on the upper floor.

Kids & families

• Hands-on stations

The exhibition includes listening stations, interactive elements, media terminals and a selfie station.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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