Pfalzmuseum für Naturkunde

Current exhibitions

About the museum

The Pfalzmuseum für Naturkunde (Palatinate Museum of Natural History) was established in 1981 to present to the public the scientific collections of POLLICHIA, the Palatinate association for natural research and landscape conservation. It stands by the Herzogweiher pond in the Grethen district of Bad Dürkheim, in a building that succeeded the former Herzogmühle mill.

Since 1998 the museum has been run by a special-purpose association made up of the Bezirksverband Pfalz, the town of Bad Dürkheim, the districts of Bad Dürkheim and Kusel, and POLLICHIA; in the same year, the Urweltmuseum GEOSKOP opened as a branch at Burg Lichtenberg. In 2008 the museum gained an extension with a new entrance, a forum and rooms for special exhibitions.

The collections comprise around 400,000 specimens, mostly from the Palatinate, in zoology, botany and the geosciences, along with a large specialist library. The permanent exhibition is being renewed step by step: the "Landschaftsräume" (landscape rooms) present typical Palatinate landscapes with their flora and fauna, while the "Begegnungsräume" (encounter rooms) explore humanity's relationship with nature. Among the best-known pieces is a replica of the Krähenberg meteorite, which fell on the Sickinger Höhe in 1869. Special exhibitions, field trips and an extensive educational program round out the offering.

Highlights

• Landscape rooms on the nature of the Palatinate Forest, the Westrich and the North Palatinate Uplands
• Encounter rooms on the relationship between people and nature
• Replica of the 1869 Krähenberg meteorite
• Annual fresh mushroom exhibition
• Extensive POLLICHIA collections

Permanent exhibitions

• Dauerausstellung: Landschafts- und Begegnungsräume – Animals, plants, fungi and geology of typical Palatinate landscapes, plus rooms on emotions, research and nature conservation; the redesign is not yet complete.

Founded

1981

Operated by

Zweckverband Pfalzmuseum für Naturkunde

Director

Dr. Frank Wieland

Admission & discounts

Children's birthday party for up to 8 children €50, each additional child €10.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The elevator is currently out of service and a new one is planned; therefore only the first floor is accessible, while four further floors and the special exhibition room can be reached only by stairs. Accessible entrance and restroom according to the Rhineland-Palatinate museum portal. Assistance dogs allowed. Events for people with disabilities can be booked.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly: not available
• Baby changing facilities
• Kids’ birthday parties

Digital explorer tour (Actionbound) for families with children aged 6 to 12, any time during opening hours, also in English. "Schummerstunden" (dim-light hours) for ages 4 to 6, open research workshop from age 5, holiday programs during the Easter, summer and fall breaks, and public overview tours for families. Children's birthday parties for ages 5 to 12. Fold-down baby changing table in the accessible restroom (for infants and toddlers only); bottles can be warmed at the info desk. Because the elevator is out of order, only parts of the exhibition are accessible with a stroller.

Getting there & parking

GPS address: Kaiserslauterer Straße 111, 67098 Bad Dürkheim. The entrance is on Kaiserslauterer Straße, not in the museum courtyard.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

No café, but a coffee machine, cold drinks and ice cream at the info desk; forum, terrace and picnic areas in the garden. Dogs not allowed in the exhibition rooms.

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit