Photo: Losch · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Sammlung des Niedersächsischen Landesinstituts für Bienenkunde

Small beekeeping museum in the 1607 staircase granary at the Celle Bee Institute, showing traditional Heath beekeeping; visits by guided tour only.

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Limited operations. The museum can only be visited as part of a guided tour.

About the museum

The Celle Bee Institute was founded on July 1, 1927, by resolution of the provincial parliament of the Prussian Province of Hanover. From the start, one of its tasks was to build a collection on beekeeping, above all on the Heath beekeeping that was dying out at the time. Modern beekeeping was quickly replacing the old equipment in those years, so the old equipment was to be saved.

The core of the collection was gathered mainly by a teacher from Eschede. In 1931 it found its place in a staircase granary dating from 1607, which was set up on the institute grounds. The institute itself has been based since its founding north of the Französischer Garten (French Garden), in the 17th-century former ducal orangery, which today also houses part of the museum exhibition.

The focus is on Lüneburg Heath beekeeping with its straw skeps, presented as an important part of Lower Saxony's cultural heritage. The museum is part of the bee-friendly institute garden. Since 2004 the once independent state institute has belonged to the Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES).

Highlights

Heath beekeeping museum in the 1607 staircase granary
Traditional Heath beekeeping with straw skeps
Additional exhibition in the former orangery building
Bee-friendly institute garden
Guided tours of the garden and museum

Permanent exhibition

Heidebienenmuseum – In the historic staircase granary and the former orangery building, the museum shows traditional Heath beekeeping, including the keeping of bees in straw skeps.

Operated by: Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit (LAVES), Institut für Bienenkunde Celle

Admission & discounts

Public tour "Der Bienengarten" (The Bee Garden), per person	€10about 90 minutes, limited number of participants

Prices for group tours on request from the institute.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

By public transit

Several bus stops around the garden, about a 10-minute walk.

By car

Parking available

Public parking spaces in the area, for example on Südwall or Langensalzaplatz.

Address: Herzogin-Eleonore-Allee 5, Celle.

Get directions

Amenities & dining

Museum shop

Honey sales on Wednesdays 09:00–13:00.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit

Guided tours	yes · approx. 1.5 hrs
Good to know	The museum is shown during tours of the institute garden and during group tours by registration. Public tour dates are listed on the institute's website.