Stadtmuseum Bergkamen

Current exhibitions

About the museum

The museum was founded in 1965 as a local history museum and has since shown its holdings in the former administration building of the municipality of Oberaden. From 1986 to 1988 the building was converted into a museum; at the same time the support association was founded, which still supports the work today and helps run the Römerpark on a voluntary basis. In 1990/91 the municipal gallery "sohle 1" moved into the building as well, showing contemporary art, mainly by regional artists, on the ground floor.

One focus is the Roman camp at Oberaden. From 11 to about 8/7 BC, one of the largest Roman military camps north of the Alps stood here: on 56 hectares lived up to three legions with auxiliary troops, a total of around 30,000 people, who campaigned against the Germanic tribes under Drusus. Since its discovery in 1905 by Pastor Otto Prein, the camp has been investigated in many campaigns; in the damp clay soil even wood and other organic finds were preserved. In the nearby Römerpark stands a reconstructed timber-and-earth wall.

Further departments deal with earth history and prehistory, the early Middle Ages and the town's history, which begins with the merger of several municipalities to form the town of Bergkamen in the 1960s. Mining, which shaped Bergkamen from 1890, is represented by the Barbara tunnel and a teaching tunnel built by former miners.

Highlights

• Finds from the Roman camp at Oberaden (11–8/7 BC)
• Römerpark with reconstructed timber-and-earth wall
• Barbara tunnel and teaching tunnel on mining
• Town history in open stagings
• Historic classroom
• Municipal gallery "sohle 1"

Permanent exhibitions

• Römer an der Lippe – Finds and background on the Roman camp at Oberaden, which was built under Drusus around 11 BC for up to three legions.
• Stadtgeschichte – Open stagings on the development of the mining communities up to today's town of Bergkamen and on structural change.
• Erd- und Urgeschichte – Departments on the geological development of the region and on the earliest traces of human settlement.

Founded

1965

Operated by

Stadt Bergkamen

Director

Mark Schrader

Admission & discounts

The ticket is valid for the permanent and special exhibition. Free admission is also available, among others, with the Ehrenamtskarte NRW, Juleica, for members of ICOM, the Deutscher Museumsbund and the support association, and for residents of Bergkamen on their birthday.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description: no information

Ramp and access with guidance strip to the main entrance, ground floor wheelchair-accessible with accessible toilet. The lift is currently out of order; the permanent exhibitions on the 1st and 2nd upper floors can only be reached by stairs. Exhibition texts in easy language; marked assistance dogs welcome.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Playground / play area

Museum education programmes for day-care centres and school classes as well as the holiday programme DrususCamp in the Römerpark for children aged 8 to 12. Playground directly in front of the museum.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

Museum bistro (Wed–Sun 9:30 am–5 pm) with breakfast, lunch menu as well as coffee and cake. Lockable cloakroom free of charge (chip at the reception counter). Museum shop.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit