Stadtmuseum Wadern

About the museum

In 1978, Wadern became a town and at the same time received a local history museum in the baroque Oettinger Schlösschen, which Count Joseph Anton von Oettingen-Sötern had built in the 18th century. For decades, the volunteer director Willy Weinen assembled a diverse collection on the history of the region.

After his death in 2009, the town decided to preserve the museum and redesign it completely. Since 2012, the cultural studies scholar Christina Pluschke has headed the museum; with the support of numerous regional sponsors, the exhibition was redesigned and reopened on October 2, 2013. Since then, 3D reconstructions, audio stations, and films have complemented the original objects.

Because the Oettinger Schlösschen is being renovated, the museum temporarily moved in 2023 to the neighboring Posthaus Klauck next to the Allerheiligenkirche, a townhouse that housed the Wadern post station from 1832 to 1909. The tour leads from the Celtic-Roman period through Dagstuhl Castle and Wadern's heyday as a residence and market town in the 18th century to its elevation to town status. Separate sections present the artist Octavie de Lasalle von Louisenthal, known as the "Malergräfin" (painter countess), and opponents of the Nazi regime from Wadern; with VR headsets and tablets, cultural sites in the town can be explored virtually.

Highlights

• Celtic-Roman finds and the history of Dagstuhl Castle
• Count Joseph Anton von Oettingen-Sötern and the market rights of 1765
• Life and work of the "Malergräfin" (painter countess) Octavie de Lasalle von Louisenthal
• Resistance to the Nazi regime in Wadern
• Virtual tours with VR headsets and tablets

Permanent exhibitions

• Stadt- und Regionalgeschichte Waderns – A tour through the history of Wadern and the Hochwald from the Celtic-Roman period to its elevation to town status in 1978, with original finds, media stations, and portraits of influential personalities.

Founded

1978

Operated by

Stadt Wadern

Director

Christina Pluschke

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Every first Sunday of the month (Museumssonntag)

Accessibility

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

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

On Museumssonntag there are regular creative activities for children with free admission. In the exhibition, hands-on objects to touch and try out as well as VR headsets and tablets invite exploration.

Getting there & parking

By car via the A1: from the direction of Trier, take exit Nonnweiler-Bierfeld or Nonnweiler-Braunshausen; from the direction of Saarbrücken, take exit Nonnweiler-Primstal; then continue to Wadern.

Amenities & dining

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

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit