Municipal museum in the historic administrative buildings of Hattingen-Blankenstein, featuring city history and changing art exhibitions; free admission.
October 10, 2026 – January 24, 2027
Traveling exhibition from the Deutsches Messingmuseum Krefeld featuring everyday brass objects designed by figures such as Peter Behrens, Christopher Dresser, Henry van de Velde and Bruno Paul.
The Stadtmuseum grew out of the small local history museum housed in about 90 square meters of the Altes Rathaus (old town hall) in Hattingen's old town. When a municipal gallery was to be set up there in 1990, the holdings were initially moved to a former school and a new museum concept was developed.
In 1992 the choice fell on the old administrative buildings on the market square of the historic Blankenstein district, not far from Burg Blankenstein and the Gethmannscher Garten. Built between 1840 and 1904, the rubble-stone buildings with their listed facade of Ruhr sandstone had served as a residence, police station and inn, and until 1970 as the seat of the Blankenstein district administration. Between 1996 and 2001 they were gutted and converted into bright, interconnected exhibition rooms; in 2001 the Stadtmuseum opened with some 2,000 square meters of space.
The centerpiece of the permanent exhibition is a walk-in rotunda with a timeline and large-format themed books on Hattingen's history. Object rooms display prehistoric finds, clocks, coins, weights and measures, flags and candlesticks; a 19-meter original rail from a Blankenstein ropewalk leads to furniture and carved beams from Hattingen's half-timbered houses. The museum also stages several temporary exhibitions a year on painting, sculpture, photography and cultural history, and offers workshops, children's theater, readings and concerts. Since 2019 the museum has been part of the Route der Industriekultur (Industrial Heritage Trail).
Admission is free.
| Children & teens | –Free admission for everyone. |
|---|---|
| Groups | –Free admission; booked guided tours €30 per group. |
| Open studio (17:00–19:00, materials included) | €6Per person and session; registration required |
Free admission to permanent and temporary exhibitions.
The museum is considered wheelchair-accessible; please check with the museum before your visit.
Great for kids & families
Family afternoons, workshops, open studio and theater for children. Themed children's birthday parties (e.g., knights, Stone Age, painting) with a small gift.
Bus 350 (from Hattingen Mitte or Bochum Hbf) to "Burg Blankenstein" or "Museum/Klinik"; bus SB 38 (from Hattingen Mitte or Witten Hbf) to "Museum/Klinik".
Parking available
No visitor parking in the historic center of Blankenstein; signposted parking nearby, a few minutes' walk away.
By car, follow the signs from Hattingen center toward Blankenstein or take the A43, exit Witten-Herbede; navigation: Marktplatz 1-3, 45527 Hattingen.
Get directionsMuseum shop with books on Hattingen, exhibition catalogs and postcards. No visitor parking in the historic town center; signposted parking a few minutes' walk away. Family afternoons, children's birthday parties and theater for children.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours of the permanent and temporary exhibitions on Sundays at 15:00 without registration (free); group tours can be booked (€30). School project days, workshops for children and adults, and museum talks; registration at 02324 204-3522 or -3521. |
All 6 museums in Hattingen All museums in North Rhine-Westphalia
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