LWL industrial museum in the boat lift on the Dortmund-Ems Canal in Waltrop, opened in 1899, with historic ships and a water playground.
June 13, 2026 – October 10, 2027
Interactive hands-on exhibition about orientation and navigation, aimed mainly at 8- to 12-year-olds: from the compass and nautical chart to satellite positioning. Developed by museums in Hamburg, Bremen, Bremerhaven and Lübeck.
May 21, 2026 – December 23, 2026
Photographs of mine headframes that miner Wolfgang Schubert has been illuminating in color since 2014 with his “Lichtwechsel” project – as a reminder of the formative power of mining.
The Henrichenburg boat lift was built as the key structure of the Dortmund-Ems Canal, which Emperor Wilhelm II inaugurated in August 1899. It overcame a difference in elevation of around 14 meters and was the first boat lift ever built in which the ship trough rests on several air-filled floats in water-filled shafts. This made it possible to lift ships carrying up to 750 tons of cargo – far larger than those handled by older boat lifts in England, France and Belgium.
The stone towers bearing the Prussian eagle and provincial coats of arms were not technically necessary but were meant to demonstrate progress and state power. After more than 60 years of operation, the lift had become too small for the ever-larger canal boats; in 1962 a new boat lift next door took over. The old structure fell into disrepair, machinery was scrapped and demolition was being prepared until a citizens' initiative campaigned for its preservation.
In 1979, the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, the regional authority of Westphalia-Lippe) decided to set up a decentralized industrial museum. After extensive restoration, the boat lift opened in 1992 as a museum of the history of canals and inland navigation. Today it also includes a museum harbor, a shipyard and a collection of historic ships. The permanent exhibition in the boiler house and engine house uses models, hands-on stations and augmented reality. The museum is part of the Schleusenpark Waltrop, with four structures for lowering ships spanning more than 100 years.
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4Recipients of benefits under SGB II/XII (German social welfare), university students up to age 30, trainees, volunteer service participants, people with a degree of disability of 50 or more, holders of the Ehrenamtskarte NRW (volunteer card) |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Children and teens up to age 17 and school classes free |
| Seniors | –No senior discount listed |
| Visitors with disabilities | €4Degree of disability of 50 or more |
| Students & apprentices | €4Up to age 30 |
| Groups (16+ people) | €7 per personAdults in groups; group tours from €45 plus admission |
| Families | –No family ticket; children up to age 17 free |
| Short boat tour (1 hr) | €9Children aged 3–12 €6; only in addition to museum admission, April–October |
| Long boat tour (2 hrs) | €16Children aged 3–12 €11; only in addition to museum admission, April–October |
| LWL-MuseumsCard (annual pass, 31 LWL and LVR museums) | €50For two adults €70, reduced €15 |
Free admission: Free admission on certain special days (e.g. museum festival, International Museum Day, Christmas market)
Free admission with the LWL-MuseumsCard, LVR-Museumskarte, a Deutscher Museumsbund or ICOM card, and once with the RuhrtopCard.
Certified under “Reisen für Alle” (Travel for All). Step-free grounds, accessible entrance at the upper water level, elevator to the lower water level, four wheelchair-accessible restrooms, free loaner wheelchairs. Media guide with videos in German Sign Language (DGS) and plain language; guided tours in easy-to-read language and for people with visual or hearing impairments can be booked.
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
Water playground at the upper pool (March to October) and a climbing ship; family tour "Wo die Schiffe Aufzug fahren" (Where ships ride the elevator) every 2nd and 4th Sunday at 14:00; boat lift game "Clever Skipper" with seven digital stations; holiday programs and children's birthday parties for ages 4 and up. Children and young people up to age 17 have free admission.
Datteln/Wittener Straße · 10-min walk
Bus 231 from Recklinghausen Hbf or SB 22 from Castrop-Rauxel Hbf to "Datteln/Wittener Straße"; from Dortmund Hbf, take the U 41 to "Brambauer Verkehrshof," then continue by bus 284/231.
Parking available
Designated accessible parking space at the museum.
By car via the A 2, exit Castrop-Rauxel/Henrichenburg, then follow the "Schiffshebewerk" signs. By bike via the Emscher-Park-Radweg and the Dortmund-Ems-Kanal-Radweg (junction 32).
Get directions"Gastrobus" (an English double-decker from 1959) March–October Tue–Sun 11:00–18:00, in winter by arrangement. Museum shop. Dogs on a leash are allowed on the outdoor grounds, but not in the buildings.
Civil wedding ceremonies of the town of Waltrop in the hall of the Hafenmeisterei (harbor master's building) on the museum grounds (up to approx. 80 people according to local press). The passenger ship “Henrichenburg II” can be chartered through its operator (25 people or more, minimum 2 hours).
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 45 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, EN) |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography for private purposes is welcome; commercial photography only with prior permission. |
| Good to know | Free media guide via the app “LWL Museum Schiffshebewerk” (43 stops). Public guided tour “Schiff auf, Schiff ab” Tue–Sun at 12:00 (45 min, admission only), plus changing themed tours on Sundays at 14:00. Group tours (also in English) by appointment; adult groups of 6 or more must book a group tour. |
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