Osterode am Harz city museum in a 17th-century half-timbered house, with a town model, crafts history, church art, costumes and the historic Ratsapotheke (town council pharmacy).
May 15, 2026 – November 8, 2026
The exhibition sheds light on the persecution of witches from the late 15th to the early 18th century, using over 70 original objects such as trial records, instruments of torture and amulets, as well as interactive stations; it also draws a connection to today's conspiracy narratives.
On September 21, 1905, the city of Osterode am Harz opened its first municipal museum in a room of the town building office. The collection moved several times until, in April 1934, the city made available to it the building at Rollberg 32, which is called "Ritterhaus" (Knight's House) after the carved knight figure on its façade. On May 24, 1936, the local history museum opened there with 17 rooms and around 1,200 objects; after wartime closures, it reopened on June 7, 1952. Since 1954, the Heimat- und Geschichtsverein (local heritage and history association) has supported the house.
From 1970 to 1980, the building was thoroughly renovated and converted into a modern municipal museum. Since 1988 it has belonged to the Museumsverbund Südniedersachsen (South Lower Saxony Museum Association); the permanent exhibition was redesigned between 1988 and 1992 with scholarly and museum-educational input.
Today the museum presents the history of the city and of Harz culture across three floors. On the first floor, a town model from 1880, among other things, documents the development of the old town; above it come crafts and early industry, and on the top floor, pharmacy and church history, costumes and a 1652 storage hall (Speicherdiele). A move to other city premises is planned in the long term, but no date has been set.
Admission is free.
| Children & teens | –Admission to the permanent exhibition is free for everyone. |
|---|---|
| Guided tour for private groups and school classes | €30 |
Admission to the permanent exhibition is free for everyone; only special exhibitions, guided tours and events cost money.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Great for kids & families
Hands-on stations to touch and try out, historical costumes for dress-up, writing with ink and quill; children's tours from age 5 for groups of up to 15 children by registration, as well as children's birthday parties at the museum.
Parking available
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Civil marriage ceremonies and celebrations are possible in the inner courtyard (outdoors in summer) and in the historic 1652 storage hall; the inner courtyard also hosts festivals, markets and concerts.
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours only by advance registration; themed tours are offered on the first Saturday of each month. Dogs may be brought into the exhibition on a leash. |
