Staatliches Naturhistorisches Museum Braunschweig

Current exhibitions

About the museum

The museum's roots go back to 1754, when Duke Carl I of Brunswick-Lüneburg opened his cabinet of art and natural curiosities to the public. It was initially housed in the old Dankwarderode Castle, making it one of the oldest natural history museums in the German-speaking world.

Over the following nearly two centuries, the collection moved several times – in 1765 to the Zeughaus (arsenal), in 1877 to the old building of today's Technische Universität, and in 1921 to the north wing of the Residenzschloss. In 1857, the art holdings were separated from the natural history objects, which from then on formed an independent branch of the museum. Since 1937, the museum has been located in a building on Pockelsstraße near the TU campus.

The building survived the air raids of 1944 undamaged. From 1950 onward, the dioramas of native animals that still define the museum today were created, along with redesigned exhibition halls. In the 2000s, the museum's own excavation expedition to Niger brought the sauropod Spinophorosaurus to Braunschweig; in 2019 the TU's mineral cabinet was added, and in 2020 the redesigned bird hall opened.

The museum belongs to the 3Landesmuseen Braunschweig group. Since early 2025, the paläon Forschungsmuseum in Schöningen, which displays the famous Paleolithic Schöningen spears, has also been attached to it as a branch. PD Dr. Mike Reich has been director since 2022.

Highlights

• Reconstructed skeleton of the sauropod Spinophorosaurus nigerensis from the museum's own excavation in Niger
• Skeleton of a Steller's sea cow
• Bird hall with a bird flight installation (redesigned in 2020)
• Dioramas of native animals, including the last lynx from the Harz (1818)
• Aquariums and terrariums with live fish, reptiles and amphibians in the basement
• Treasure chamber and visible storage in 19th-century style

Permanent exhibitions

• Der Vogelsaal – Redesigned hall on the diversity of birds, with an installation on bird flight.
• Ein „Braunschweiger“ Dino – The sauropod Spinophorosaurus and the museum's excavation expedition in Africa.
• Die Braunschweiger Dioramen – Native animals in recreated habitats, created since the 1950s.

Founded

1754

Operated by

3Landesmuseen Braunschweig (Land Niedersachsen)

Director

PD Dr. Mike Reich

Admission & discounts

Your admission ticket also gives you free entry to the paläon Forschungsmuseum Schöningen for three months from the date of purchase (and vice versa). Free for members of ICOM and the Museumsbund, and on the first visit with the MuseumsCard Braunschweig.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Step-free entrance, elevators to all floors, accessible parking spaces at the building, assistance dogs allowed.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Kids’ birthday parties

Explorer hall with hands-on and touch stations on camouflage, tracks, sounds, and teeth of wild animals. Family program according to the calendar or semiannual program; supervised birthday parties for ages 5 and up (60–90 minutes, currently not on weekends) as well as birthday boxes for your own celebrations. Picnic room on the first floor.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Coat check
• Lockers
• Wi-Fi

No café, but a picnic room on the first floor. Lockers on the first floor and in the basement (umbrellas and large bags must be locked away). Free Wi-Fi (3 hours).

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit