Museum642 – Pößnecker Stadtgeschichte

Current exhibitions

About the museum

From 1998 to 2014, Pößneck's municipal museum was housed in the historic town hall on the market square. For a fresh start, the town chose a group of buildings on Klosterplatz: Carmelite monks had founded a monastery there in 1315, and the three houses at Klosterplatz 2, 4, and 6 preserve building fabric dating back to the 14th century – including remains of a medieval residential tower and two 15th-century Bohlenstuben (plank-paneled rooms).

Over the centuries, the houses served as an inn, a residence, a bakery, a butcher's shop, and a grocery store. By around 2007 they were in poor condition and infested with dry rot; by 2015 they had been extensively renovated and supplemented with modern architecture. On November 27, 2015, the Museum642 – Pößnecker Stadtgeschichte opened there.

Spread over several floors, the permanent exhibition leads through more than 800 years of city history, from the founding of the town and the monastery through the Reformation, plague, and periods of economic prosperity to the upheavals of the 20th century. One section tells the story of the buildings themselves, while another presents collections such as porcelain by the Pößneck firm Conta & Böhme, ceramics by the Bauhaus potter Otto Lindig, and works by the pastel painter Franz Huth. The museum emphasizes hands-on participation and offers a children's museum and changing special exhibitions; the museum shop also serves as the town information office.

Highlights

• "Pößnecker Pferdehimmel" (horse heaven) with a horse skeleton beneath the ceiling
• Two 15th-century Bohlenstuben (plank-paneled rooms)
• Porcelain by Conta & Böhme, including a "monkey orchestra"
• Ceramics by Otto Lindig and pastels by Franz Huth
• Walk-in advertising column and a miniature black kitchen

Permanent exhibitions

• Stadtgeschichte – Chronological tour over several floors through more than 800 years of Pößneck history, with many hands-on stations.
• Hausgeschichte – The three houses on Klosterplatz, their changing uses over 600 years, and their renovation through 2015.
• Sammlungen – Porcelain by Conta & Böhme, ceramics by Otto Lindig, and works by Franz Huth from the municipal collections.

Operated by

Stadt Pößneck

Admission & discounts

€1 off all admission prices with the Thüringer Wald Card. Audio guide for a €2 rental fee plus deposit (ID). Guided tours priced by length, plus admission.

Accessibility

• 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

According to the town of Pößneck, all museum rooms are accessible. An accessible parking space is located directly in front of the museum (corner of Krautgasse/Klostergasse).

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Kids’ birthday parties

Kindermuseum642 with multimedia and listening stations, objects to touch, and stop-motion filmmaking; audio guide in a children's version, discovery tour with museum quiz, family activities such as treasure hunts, plus workshops and holiday projects. Birthday parties on request.

Getting there & parking

By car via the A9 (exit Triptis, B281) or the A4 (exit Jena-Göschwitz, B88, from Orlamünde L1108).

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop with city information.

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit