Naturwissenschaftliches Museum Aschaffenburg
Municipal natural history museum in the Baroque Schönborner Hof with butterflies, taxidermy specimens, and the geology of the Spessart hills.
About the museum
The city's natural history collections go back to the early 19th century: their core was the natural history cabinet of the forestry school founded in Aschaffenburg in 1807, which moved to Munich in 1910. The Naturwissenschaftlicher Verein Aschaffenburg (natural science society), founded in 1878 and based at the museum, still plays an important role today.
Since 1970 the holdings have been on display in the Schönborner Hof, a Baroque city palace of the Counts of Schönborn built between 1673 and 1681, which the city acquired in 1832.
The exhibition is divided into natural history, regional flora and fauna, and geology and mineralogy. The butterfly collection is particularly extensive; in addition there are taxidermy specimens, some of them historic, such as native birds of the Spessart, a few exotic animals and plants, and a herbarium compiled around 1900. The geology section introduces the geological history and landscape of the Spessart as well as the region's former mining industry. With guided tours and workshops, the museum caters especially to school classes. In the courtyard, a rock garden displays typical stones of the area.
Highlights
- Extensive butterfly collection
- Historic taxidermy specimens of Spessart wildlife
- Geology, mineralogy, and mining history of the Spessart
- Baroque city palace Schönborner Hof (1673–1681)
- Rock garden with regional stones
Permanent exhibitions
- Naturkunde und regionale Flora und Fauna – Display cases with a large butterfly collection and specimens of native animals, some of them historic, complemented by a few exotic species.
- Geologie und Mineralogie – Geological history and rocks of the Spessart, plus the history of mining in the region.
- Founded
- 1970
- Operated by
- Stadt Aschaffenburg (Museen der Stadt Aschaffenburg)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €1 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €0.50Retirees, students of TH Aschaffenburg, the unemployed, people with severe disabilities, groups of 15 or more paying visitors, holders of a Bayern-Ticket, and others |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Children and young people under 18 free |
| Seniors | €0.50for retirees |
| Visitors with disabilities | €0.50companion free · Companion free if noted on the ID |
| Students & apprentices | €0.50School students and apprentices over 18 free with ID or when visiting as a class |
| Groups (15+ people) | €0.50 per personfrom 15 paying participants; teachers and supervisors free |
| Families | –No family ticket; 50% discount for adults with the Familienpass Aschaffenburg |
50% discount also with the Kulturpass Aschaffenburg.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: not available
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking
- 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
First floor reached via 4 steps, second floor via 24 steps; wheelchair access possible by prior arrangement through the Stadt- und Stiftsarchiv (city and collegiate archive). Accessible parking space in the back courtyard.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Freihofsplatz
Bus 1, 4, 6, or 10 to the “Freihofsplatz” stop; about a 10-minute walk from the main train station.
By car
Parking available
Underground garages at the Rathaus, at the Stadthalle and at the Löhrgraben.
- Accessible parking
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours and workshops on flora, fauna, and fossils on scheduled dates or by request; tours for school classes are offered even during the reduced opening hours. |
