Steinsburgmuseum
Archaeological museum on the Kleiner Gleichberg near Römhild with finds from the Celtic Steinsburg hillfort and on the prehistory and early history of southern Thuringia.
About the museum
Covering around 68 hectares, the Steinsburg on the Kleiner Gleichberg is one of the largest archaeological monuments in Thuringia. Between the 6th and 1st centuries BC, the hilltop settlement, fortified with several rings of basalt walls, was an important Celtic center. Since the 19th century, basalt quarrying repeatedly exposed wall remains and numerous finds, which were initially kept in scattered locations across the region.
The prehistorian Alfred Götze campaigned for decades to bring the finds together in one place. With the support of Römhild's mayor Georg Griebel and thanks to a donation from the brewery owner Christian Heurich, a native of the region, a dedicated museum building was constructed in the saddle between the Gleichberg hills to plans by the Meiningen court architect Karl Behlert. After the topping-out ceremony in 1927, it was completed in 1928 and opened in September 1929; Götze became its first director.
Götze also planned the building as a research facility: in addition to bright exhibition rooms, there was a workroom with a library and a storeroom for the study collection. The main hall was reserved for Celtic culture, the side rooms for earlier and later periods.
Today the museum is a branch of the Thuringian State Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology (Thüringisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie). The permanent exhibition, redesigned in 1996, leads chronologically through five rooms covering around 180 square meters, from the Mesolithic to the High Middle Ages, with a focus on finds from the Steinsburg. The museum, the hillfort, and the archaeological hiking trail together form an ensemble unique in Thuringia.
Highlights
- One of the most important collections of Celtic finds in central Germany
- Bronze fibulae with waterfowl motifs from the Steinsburg
- Model of the Steinsburg with its rings of walls
- Listed museum building from 1928
- Archaeological hiking trails to the Steinsburg and across the Gleichberg hills
Permanent exhibitions
- Ur- und Frühgeschichte Südthüringens – Chronological tour through five rooms from the Mesolithic to the High Medieval settlement. At its center are jewelry, tools, weapons, and pottery from the Celtic Steinsburg.
- Founded
- 1929
- Operated by
- Thüringisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie (TLDA)
- Director
- Mathias Seidel
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €2 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €1Those eligible for reduced admission and adults in groups |
| Children & teens | €0.50Student price €0.50; no age limit for free admission is stated. |
| Groups | €1 per personReduced admission for adult groups; guided tours by registration (see notes). |
Guided tour for groups of 15 or more €3 per person (including admission); guided tour with a guided climb up to the Steinsburg for groups of 20 or more €4 per person. School classes: museum visit without a tour €0.50 per child, with a tour €1.50 per child (visitor service page; the guided tours page states €1), combined with a guided Steinsburg hike €4.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- 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
Not accessible due to its location and historic building fabric; the exhibition on the upper floor can only be reached by stairs, but is wheelchair-accessible within the exhibition itself. Visitors with limited mobility can use the non-public parking lot directly in front of the entrance after prior arrangement.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Holiday programs for children with registration. Popular with children: the life-size "Celt" and models to touch (Steinsburg, smelting and pottery kilns, rotary querns). The museum recommends combining the visit with a hike to the Steinsburg.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Römhild, Waldhaus
Bus stop "Römhild, Waldhaus" on Werra-Bus line 221 (connections from Römhild, Hildburghausen, and Bad Königshofen).
By car
Parking available
Ample parking right on the street below the museum, also for tour buses; another small, unpaved parking lot at the access road to the museum (not for buses). For visitors with mobility impairments, a non-public parking lot in front of the entrance (ask at the ticket desk).
- Accessible parking
Via the L1132 Hildburghausen–Römhild; the Waldhaus district is about 5 km east of Römhild (A71 exit Rentwertshausen/Römhild, A73 exit Eisfeld).
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Restaurant: not available
- Museum shop
- Coat check
No dining options on site; the Waldhaus restaurant and hotel is located below the museum. Coat check and storage of valuables on request.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 45 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Tours (about 45 minutes, about 3 hours including the hike up the mountain) with advance registration. Four signposted archaeological hiking routes in the Gleichberg area. |
