Nationalpark-Besucherzentrum TorfHaus
Visitor center of Harz National Park with a barrier-free wilderness exhibition, experience cinema and national park shop, free admission.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Nationalpark-Besucherzentrum TorfHaus lies in the heart of Harz National Park, directly at the national park monument in Torfhaus on the B4, with views of the Brocken and the Radau valley. It opened in 2009 and continues the work of the Nationalparkhaus Altenau-Torfhaus, which opened in 1994.
It is run by the BUND Lower Saxony regional association in a partnership with the Gesellschaft zur Förderung des Nationalparks Harz (society for the promotion of Harz National Park) and the town of Clausthal-Zellerfeld; the State of Lower Saxony provides funding. The house is also an information point for the UNESCO Global Geoparks Harz . Braunschweiger Land . Ostfalen and the starting point for guided excursions.
The wilderness exhibition was remodeled and reopened in April 2026 with new exhibits. It traces the path from the goals of the National Natural Landscapes via the Green Belt into the mountain wilderness of the Harz. Interactive stations show how wilderness is returning, how the spruce holds its ground at high altitudes and what role the wolf plays along the Green Belt. On the upper floor, visitors can experience how the moors formed; an experience cinema prepares guests for hikes, and children can find the Fichtentellerhöhle cave and a research corner.
Highlights
- New wilderness exhibition (reopened 2026)
- National park experience cinema
- Landscape model to touch
- Moor history on the upper floor
- National park shop
- Free admission
Permanent exhibition
- Wildnis-Ausstellung im TorfHaus – Interactive exhibition on the mountain wilderness of Harz National Park, featuring the Green Belt, spruce, wolf, moor history, an experience cinema and a children's area.
- Founded
- 2009
- Operated by
- BUND Landesverband Niedersachsen (Trägergemeinschaft mit GFN e. V. und Stadt Clausthal-Zellerfeld)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission; donations are welcome.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Step-free access; all levels can be reached by wheelchair and stroller. The landscape model can be touched. Two free accessible parking spaces about 50 meters from the entrance; information for people with mobility, visual or learning impairments is on the website.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Stroller-friendly
Family-friendly exhibition with interactive stations, the Fichtentellerhöhle cave, a research corner and wilderness discovery stations around the Große Torfhausmoor bog.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Torfhaus
Bus line 820 (KVG Braunschweig) runs between Bad Harzburg and Braunlage, with connections to Schierke, Sankt Andreasberg and Clausthal-Zellerfeld.
By car
Paid parking · 80 m to the entrance
Paid parking at the large Torfhaus car park, with an electric vehicle charging station; two free accessible parking spaces directly behind the entrance.
- Accessible parking
The house lies directly on the B4 between Bad Harzburg and Braunlage and on the Harzer Hexenstieg trail.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
National park shop with hiking maps, books, postcards, souvenirs and outdoor gear.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Starting point for the park's guided tours and excursions; programs for school classes and wilderness camps. |
