Pilzkundliches Museum der Stadt Bad Laasphe
Mycological museum with over 900 mushroom species as genuine freeze-dried fruiting bodies, plus curious collectibles around the mushroom.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Pilzkundemuseum (mushroom museum) opened in 1987 in the Haus des Gastes (guest house) of Bad Laasphe. The impetus came above all from the mushroom expert Heinrich Lücke: already on mushroom outings in the 1970s there had been a wish to show mushrooms regardless of season and weather. This became possible through freeze-drying, which Dr. Markus Hallermeier successfully applied to mushrooms, preserving the form of the fruiting bodies down to the finest detail.
Today the permanent exhibition shows more than 900 species, mostly from the area around Bad Laasphe, along with some exotic finds. Around a quarter of the species recorded in North Rhine-Westphalia are included, with information on edibility, ecology and endangerment. Individual species are displayed in showcases as examples, while the rest can be viewed in drawers. Panels cover systematics, way of life, reproduction and species protection, as well as the role of mushrooms in medicine, religion and industry.
The basis of the department of curious mushroom objects is the collections of the Perschonke couple from Hanover and of Johan Alferink from Nijverdal: mushroom stamps, postcards, postmarks, cigar bands, advertising pictures, matchboxes, and art objects in ceramic, glass, wood and metal. The house also has a fungarium of dried specimens, which serves the mapping of the mushroom flora of the Rothaar Mountains and documents over 2,000 recorded species.
Since 2001 the museum has been led by the biologist Volker Walther, and a friends' association supports it. Besides the exhibition, there are mushroom seminars, consultations and excursions. Since 2016 the Bad Laasphe autumn market has been held under the motto "Pils trifft Pilz" (a pun on the beer Pils and the mushroom Pilz), with a fresh mushroom exhibition.
Highlights
- Over 900 mushroom species, largely as genuine freeze-dried fruiting bodies
- More species to discover in drawers
- Binocular microscope and scent organ to try out
- Collections of mushroom stamps, postcards, postmarks and advertising pictures
- Ceramic mushroom models and curious mushroom-themed everyday objects
- Fungarium with over 2,000 recorded species from the region
Permanent exhibitions
- Pilzkunde – Dauerausstellung – Over 900 mushroom species as freeze-dried fruiting bodies, with information on systematics, way of life, edibility and species protection.
- Kuriose Pilzobjekte – Collections around the mushroom in art and everyday life: stamps, postcards, postmarks, ceramics, games and darning mushrooms.
- Founded
- 1987
- Operated by
- Tourismus, Kur und Stadtentwicklung Bad Laasphe GmbH
- Director
- Volker Walther
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €2.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €1.50 |
| Children & teens | freeChildren enter free. |
| Groups | €0.50 per personSchool classes pay €0.50 per person. |
| Families | €6 |
| Museum tour by arrangement (per group) | €20 |
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Family ticket | €6 |
|---|
- Hands-on stations
Children enter free, and there is a family ticket. At the binocular microscope visitors can explore microscopic features, and at the scent organ they can try to guess mushroom smells.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours of the exhibition by prior appointment. Mushroom collectors can get free advice during opening hours (please call beforehand). Weekend seminars and guided mushroom excursions are offered separately. |
