Museum in the Alte Rathaus (old town hall) of Norden on East Frisian tea culture, tea around the world and town history, with a tea ceremony.
Special exhibition
A selection of several hundred tea glass holders from more than 20 countries, placed in their cultural-historical context, with references to the Trans-Siberian Railway and interactive stations.
The East Frisian Tea Museum is housed in the Alte Rathaus (old town hall) of the city of Norden on the market square. The building has Gothic roots from the 13th and 14th centuries. After its destruction in the 16th century it was rebuilt on the old foundations in 1539–1542, and the vaulted cellar is the oldest surviving part. Later the rooms served as places for trade, council and court, as living and prison quarters, and at times as a school. The museum now extends over four building complexes, including the houses Westerstraße 1 and 2.
The sponsor is the Heimatverein Norderland e. V. (Norderland local heritage association), which has run the Norder Heimatmuseum since 1922; the Tea Museum developed from it. The permanent exhibition has been redesigned. It shows how tea is grown, processed and traded, how the “Echte Ostfriesische Mischung” (authentic East Frisian blend) is made, and what role porcelain, tea warmers (Stövchen) and decorations such as the East Frisian Rose play. Workshops of a pewterer, a goldsmith and silversmith, a tea warmer maker and a porcelain painter show the crafts around the tea table. The exhibition also recalls the Doornkaat company.
The second focus is town and regional history: a tour through around 5,000 years of Norder history, from the vaulted cellar with trade and religious history, through the banquet hall “Rummel” with 18th- and 19th-century domestic culture and Norder silver, to the tower top with fire brigade history and a view over the market square. The house holds the museum quality seal (Museumsgütesiegel) for 2024 to 2030.
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €6 |
| Children & teens | €3free up to age 5 · Children under 6 enter free. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €6 per personPer person, for groups of 10 or more. |
| Families | €16 |
| Annual pass | €24 |
Discounts with the Ostfriesland Card. A combined ticket with the TeeMuseum (Sammlung Oswald-von Diepholz) in Norden is available. Members of the Heimatverein Norderland enter free.
Accessible entrance and exhibitions; seating available; dogs are welcome. Inclusive guided tours and tea ceremonies with objects to touch and in plain language; a sign language interpreter can be brought along.
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €16 |
Explorer bag with explorer booklet (€3 plus deposit), Teemaus rallies for different age groups (€1.50), play stations and a play corner; children's birthday parties with creative workshops (€95 for up to 10 children) and children's tours.
Paid parking
There are numerous paid parking spaces around the market square.
Museum shop with tea, tea ware and literature; East Frisian tea can be sampled in the tea kitchen.
The historic “Rummel” banquet hall is used by the Norden registry office as a wedding room (up to 35 people; booking through the registry office, phone 04931 923406). Room rental is possible, according to the museum association.
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, EN, NL, NDS) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Media guide with 46 stations, free on your own smartphone or tablet (headphones €1 at the ticket desk; a limited number of loan devices are available against a deposit); also available in Low German (Plattdeutsch). Open guided tours on selected dates (registration requested). Group tours last 60 minutes and cost €35 plus admission (maximum 15 people). |
