Römerthermen Zülpich – Museum der Badekultur

About the museum

The core of the museum is a Roman bath complex built in the 2nd century in ancient Tolbiacum. The town lay at an intersection of important long-distance roads between Cologne, Trier, Bonn, and Neuss. The bath was expanded several times in the 3rd and 4th centuries and abandoned toward the end of the 4th century.

During sewer work between the parish church of St. Peter and the former provost's house, the complex of about 400 square meters was rediscovered in 1929. In the following years it was uncovered with the support of the then Provinzialmuseum Bonn, later excavated further, and for a long time was part of the local Propsteimuseum.

From 1997, the Zülpicher Geschichtsverein (history society) campaigned for an appropriate presentation. With the town, the Landschaftsverband Rheinland, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and the NRW-Stiftung, a new building by the Zülpich architect Markus Ernst was created, which takes its cue from the church and provost's house on the Mühlenberg. The museum opened in August 2008; since 2009, it has been operated by the Landschaftsverband Rheinland.

The tour begins at the original bath rooms and leads through four sections via medieval bathhouses and the body care of the Baroque period to bathrooms, swimwear, and bath tourism of the 19th and 20th centuries. Scent stations, a game table, and multimedia stations appeal to several senses.

Highlights

• Original Roman bath complex from the 2nd century
• Furnished medieval bathhouse
• Curious inventions such as the rocking bathtub and bath ship
• Scent walls with smells from Roman times and the Middle Ages
• Swimwear and bath design of the 19th and 20th centuries

Permanent exhibitions

• 2000 Jahre Badekultur – Tour in four sections from the Roman baths through medieval bathhouses and the early modern period to the bath, swimwear, and bath tourism of modern times.

Founded

2008

Operated by

Landschaftsverband Rheinland

Director

Silva Bruder

Admission & discounts

Admission covers the permanent and special exhibitions. Members of the NRW-Stiftung have free admission. With a permanent exhibition ticket, you receive reduced admission to the Hubert-Salentin-Museum within two weeks (and vice versa).

Accessibility

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

Largely accessible with a wheelchair lift and two elevators; two accessible parking spaces. Audio guide also in German Sign Language and Easy Language. Tours with sign language interpretation as well as tactile tours with original finds, replicas, and a tactile floor plan of the baths on request, ideally 4–6 weeks in advance. Assistance dogs allowed.

Kids & families

Great for kids & familiesRecommended for ages 6+

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area: not available
• Kids’ birthday parties

Free at the ticket desk: museum comic with a time travel through the history of bathing, museum scavenger hunt with a small surprise, and children's audio guide. Scent walls, a Roman game table, and a terminal for designing your own bathroom invite hands-on participation. Baby changing table available on request from staff. Children's birthday parties for ages 6 and up with a short tour and workshop (up to 15 children). A public playground is right around the corner at the Landesburg.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop
• Lockers
• Wi-Fi

No restaurant in the museum; cafés and snack bars in the nearby town center. Lockers with deposit coin (€1 or €2); please avoid bags larger than DIN A4 if possible. Free Wi-Fi "freiesWLAN.LVR". Museum shop with publications.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

A seminar room (37 m²), a lecture hall (75 m², for example for birthdays, lectures, and company events), and the basilica (194 m², for concerts, theater, and banquets) can be rented; equipment such as projectors and flip charts is available. Terms on request.

Plan your visit