Schieferpark Lehesten

About the museum

Roofing slate has been quarried near Lehesten in the Thuringian Slate Mountains since the Middle Ages; because of its bluish color and high quality, it was called “Blue Gold.” Around 1900, up to 2,500 people worked in the state quarry, and at about 800 meters long and 80 meters deep, the open pit was among the largest in Europe. From 1975 slate was mined only underground, and mining ended in 1999; during the GDR era the quarry lay in the restricted zone along the inner-German border.

As early as 1993, the ensemble of historic industrial buildings was opened to visitors as a technical monument. Since 2000 the volunteer-run Stiftung Thüringischer Schieferpark Lehesten has looked after the site. Exhibits include a whim shaft from around 1840 with a historic winding engine, a compressor station, and a double splitting shed where slate splitting and cutting are demonstrated.

The flooded open pit is now a lake up to 40 meters deep in the middle of a nature reserve and National Geotope. Around the buildings, a model village, a geology trail, and a circular path to the Schiefersee lake invite independent exploration; an exhibition in the Mannschaftshaus (crew building) and a series of interviews tell of the lives of the slate miners.

Highlights

• Historic whim shaft with demonstration of the winding engine
• Double splitting shed with slate splitting and cutting
• View into the flooded open pit and the Schiefersee lake
• Model village, geology trail, and circular path, all freely accessible
• Cut your own slate souvenir with the slate shears

Permanent exhibitions

• Führung durch die historischen Betriebsgebäude – Tour from the open-pit viewpoint past the compressor station and whim shaft to the splitting shed, with demonstrations of the winding engine and slate splitting.
• Ausstellung im Mannschaftshaus – Freely accessible exhibition on the work and lives of the slate miners, open alongside the guided tours.

Founded

1993

Operated by

Stiftung Thüringischer Schieferpark Lehesten

Admission & discounts

Prices apply to the guided tour of the historic industrial buildings. The outdoor grounds with the model village, the circular path to the Schiefersee, and the geology trail, as well as the exhibition in the Mannschaftshaus, are free (donation requested).

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• 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

Wheelchair users can take part in the tour; there are three steps at the whim shaft entrance, but a side door allows a partial visit. People with disabilities can drive up to the museum if they register in advance.

Kids & families

Great for kids & familiesRecommended for ages 3+

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly

According to the museum, the tour with a demonstration of historic machines is suitable for children from about 3 years of age. For families with small children, there is a roughly 20-minute short tour in the splitting shed with slate splitting and cutting (starting at the visitor reception in the Blauer Salon). Children in strollers or buggies join free of charge; separate tours for children's groups and school classes.

Getting there & parking

Access via the L 1096, follow the "Technisches Denkmal" signs; GPS address: Staatsbruch 17, 07349 Lehesten. Alternatively, take the road to the Schieferpark conference and seminar center (shortly after the village exit toward Steinbach a. Wald), then a few hundred meters on foot.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available

At the visitor reception, only packaged ice cream and bottled drinks; snacks or coffee and cake for groups with at least one week's notice.

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit