Stadtmuseum Sandersleben
Local history museum in the former district court prison of Sandersleben, with cells, legal and town history, a historic schoolroom and a “Gute Stube” (best parlor).
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The town museum is housed in the former prison of the Anhalt district court in Sandersleben. The building dates from 1865 and served as a detention facility with space for up to eight prisoners until 1927. It was then first used as accommodation for homeless people and later converted into a residence. In the 1990s the building stood empty until the town had it extensively renovated; from 1999 it was converted into a museum, with the house restored to its original condition.
The museum opened on December 14, 2002. It is regarded as the only museum in rural Saxony-Anhalt with a historic prison wing. Seven exhibition rooms display around 3,000 objects.
A thematic exhibition covers the judiciary, the penal system and the police from the Middle Ages to the GDR police. There is also town history with finds and documents from the Neolithic to the present, a historic schoolroom with classroom furnishings and a “Gute Stube” with furniture from the first half of the 20th century. The Historisches Stadtarchiv (historical town archive) is attached to the museum.
Highlights
- Original prison cells in the 1865 building
- Exhibition on justice, the penal system and police from the Middle Ages to the GDR
- Historic schoolroom with classroom furnishings
- “Gute Stube” (best parlor) with early 20th-century domestic furnishings
- Town history from the Neolithic to today
Permanent exhibitions
- Gerichtsbarkeit, Strafvollzug und Polizei in Sandersleben – Historical exhibits from the Middle Ages to the GDR police, shown among other places in the building's original prison cells.
- Stadtgeschichte Sandersleben – Finds and documents from the Neolithic to the present.
- Historische Schulstube und „Gute Stube“ – Classroom inventory and documents on school history, plus household furniture from the first half of the 20th century.
- Founded
- 2002
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
Souvenir stand with prints, town-history publications and brochures.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours on request. |
