Upländer Milchmuhseum
Museum of the Upländer Bauernmolkerei dairy in Usseln on milk, dairy history and organic farming, with a milking cow, audio guide and milk café.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum commemorates the dairy in Usseln. In 1898, 35 farmers joined together there to form the Upländer Gebirgsmolkerei (Upland Mountain Dairy); in 1968 a larger production building was erected. After the dairy closed in 1995, farmers and environmentalists founded the Upländer Bauernmolkerei, which today processes organic milk and since 2022 has produced in a new, sustainable building on the edge of the village.
From 1996 on it was already settled that a museum would be set up in the old dairy building. For this purpose the Upländer Milchmuhseum e. V. was founded on February 16, 1998, and remains the sponsor to this day; the museum opened on May 24, 2002. Because operational tours through the modern dairy are no longer possible for hygiene reasons, films and a video tour replace a look at production.
The tour tells the changing story of the dairy, modern milk processing and the particulars of organic farming and dairy production. Visitors can try milking a museum cow, use audio guides at 21 stations for more in-depth information, and stop for a bite in the milk café; next door is an organic shop.
Highlights
- Tour through dairy history and modern milk processing
- Milking the museum cow
- Audio guide with 21 stations (German and Dutch)
- Films and video tour of the modern dairy
- Milk café and organic shop next door
- Milch Erlebnispfad Usseln (6 km, 8 hands-on stations)
Permanent exhibition
- Dauerausstellung zur Milch und zur Upländer Molkerei – Tour of dairy history, modern milk processing and organic farming, with films, a milking cow and an audio guide.
- Founded
- 2002
- Operated by
- Upländer Milchmuhseum e. V.
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups (8+ people) | €20 per personCoffee Special for groups of 8 to 25 people: tour, butter churning, tasting, coffee and cake (per person, by arrangement). |
|---|---|
| Audio guide (per device) | €3Deposit: ID card, driver's license or €20. |
| Audio guide family rate (4 devices) | €10 |
| Kids Special (groups of 8 to 15 children, ages 8–12) | €15Per person; tour, butter churning, milking competition, tasting, cocoa and waffles, about 2 to 2.5 hours; by arrangement. |
Voluntary admission: each visitor decides the amount and drops it into the admission jug in the foyer.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- 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
Café and museum are accessible; the museum entrance is at a side door.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Kids’ birthday parties
Films, games and hands-on activities, including milking the museum cow; the Kids Special is suitable for children's birthday parties. The 6 km Milk Adventure Trail Usseln with 8 hands-on stations and a quiz is designed for families.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Milk café with space for a maximum of 30 people and a sunny terrace in warm months (waffle day on Saturdays); organic shop with pasture milk products and regional goods next door.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, NL) |
| Good to know | Tours in the museum for up to 25 people. Instead of an operational tour, there is a video tour of the modern dairy. Cheese-and-wine evenings at the museum (about 3.5 to 4 hours) can be booked through the online booking tool. |
