Südsauerlandmuseum

About the museum

The Südsauerlandmuseum goes back to the collecting activity of the Attendorn Heimatverein (local heritage association) founded in 1898, today's Verein für Orts- und Heimatkunde. It is therefore considered the oldest museum in the Olpe district. Early acquisitions included late medieval wooden figures; from 1909 the association was allowed to house its collection in parts of the old town hall.

The Gothic town hall was built around 1350 and is considered the oldest surviving Hanseatic town hall this far south. In the Middle Ages the ground floor was an open market hall, with a hall for the council and court above it. After the dilapidated building had been threatened with demolition several times, it was reconstructed in Gothic style on the outside in the 1960s, redesigned inside as a reinforced concrete structure, and opened in 1967 as the Kreisheimatmuseum (district local history museum).

During a renovation in 2006/07, the arcades on the ground floor were glazed and another level was added in the roof; an elevator has since connected all floors across about 740 square meters. The permanent exhibition is divided into eleven themed islands: fossils from the Devonian sea and finds from the Ice Age, city history with an interactive city model, monastic culture, the Hanseatic League and trade, nobility and hunting, popular piety, church treasures, and the Westphalian Tin Figure Cabinet with 22 dioramas. There are also changing art and cultural exhibitions.

Highlights

• Gothic town hall of around 1350 as the museum building
• Eleven themed islands on the history of the southern Sauerland
• Church treasures and medieval sculptures
• Westphalian Tin Figure Cabinet with 22 dioramas
• Fossils of the Devonian sea and Ice Age finds
• Interactive city model and a scriptorium to try out

Permanent exhibitions

• Dauerausstellung: 11 Themeninseln – Cultural and regional history of the Olpe district over several floors, from fossils and the Ice Age through city, monastery, and Hanseatic history to nobility, popular piety, and church treasures.
• Westfälisches Zinnfigurenkabinett – 22 dioramas with tin figures in the stairwell recreate historic scenes from sieges to ancient games.

Founded

1898

Operated by

Kreis Olpe und Stadt Attendorn, unterstützt vom Verein für Orts- und Heimatkunde Attendorn

Director

Monika Löcken

Admission & discounts

Members of the friends' association have free admission.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• 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

A passenger and freight elevator connects all floors from the basement to the attic; wheelchair-accessible restroom.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

Family tour on every second Sunday of the month, holiday programs and workshops, as well as children's tours of special exhibitions. In the prehistory and early history section, children can try out Stone Age techniques at work stations; in the scriptorium they can try copying manuscripts.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the center of the old town on the Alter Markt.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

Museum shop with catalogs and publications in the foyer; cafés and restaurants in the immediate vicinity.

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit