Museum der Natur Gotha

About the museum

Gotha’s natural history collections date back to the 17th century, when the dukes of Saxe-Gotha collected not only artworks but also shells, minerals, and other natural specimens for their cabinets in Friedenstein Palace. As the holdings grew, the desire for a dedicated museum building arose in the 19th century.

Duke Ernst II had a Neo-Renaissance building erected south of the palace between 1864 and 1879, where art and nature were displayed together. After wartime losses, the building reopened in the 1950s as a natural history museum and has been called the Museum der Natur since 1971; it became the largest natural history museum in Thuringia. Since 2004, it has been part of the Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, today the Friedenstein Stiftung Gotha.

Because the museum building was being renovated and was subsequently reserved for the art collections as the Herzogliches Museum (Ducal Museum), the natural history collection moved into the palace in 2010. The permanent exhibition “Tiere im Turm” (Animals in the Tower) opened in the west tower in December 2010. It was later joined by the BROMACKER lab, which presents fossils from the internationally significant Bromacker site near Tambach-Dietharz and the ongoing research on them.

The collection includes around 18,000 minerals, 5,000 rocks, 50,000 fossils, and extensive zoological holdings, including skeletons of early tetrapods (Ursaurier) about 290 million years old.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition “Tiere im Turm” with specimens from the rainforest, Antarctica, and the nocturnal animal world
• BROMACKER lab with early tetrapod finds around 290 million years old
• Hologram and digital stations on how fossils form
• Hands-on stations for children of different ages
• Located in the west tower of Friedenstein Palace, can be visited together with the Ekhof-Theater

Permanent exhibitions

• Tiere im Turm – A cross-section of the zoological collections with animals from the rainforest, polar regions, and nocturnal habitats, complemented by hands-on stations.
• BROMACKER lab – Entdecke die Urzeit! – Long-term exhibition on the fossils from the Bromacker and the early evolution of land vertebrates, with digital stations and a hologram of an early tetrapod.

Operated by

Friedenstein Stiftung Gotha

Admission & discounts

No separate museum ticket: the exhibitions are accessible with the single ticket “Westturm mit Ekhof-Theater” (West Tower with Ekhof-Theater, €6, reduced €3) or with the single ticket “Friedenstein” for the entire palace. Ticket desk in the north wing of the palace. Free admission for members of ICOM and the Deutscher Museumsbund as well as members of the press, among others. Museum education program €20 (kindergartens free); group tour €60 plus admission.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• 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

According to the foundation, the exhibition in the west tower is currently not accessible; staff will assist on request. The foundation is certified under the “Reisen für Alle” (Travel for All) scheme (2017, recertified 2020) and offers tours in Easy Language (Leichte Sprache) as well as tactile tours by appointment.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly: not available

“Tiere im Turm” is designed to be family-friendly, with animal sounds and touch stations; in the BROMACKER lab, visitors can do their own research. Search games and a children's and family brochure, vacation programs, and creative courses. Strollers are not allowed in the palace; they are stored at the ticket desk, and free baby carriers are available for children up to 1 year. Free admission under age 18 when accompanied by adults.

Getting there & parking

Take the A4, exit Gotha, and the B 247 into the city; enter Parkallee as your GPS destination.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Ticket desk and shop in the north wing of the palace.

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit