Urgeschichtliches Museum im Rathaus

About the museum

In October 1907, a worker discovered a human lower jaw in the Grafenrain sand pit on the edge of Mauer. The following year, the Heidelberg scientist Otto Schoetensack described it as the type specimen of Homo heidelbergensis; the find is considered the oldest human find in Germany and is now dated to about 600,000 years ago. The original is held at Heidelberg University.

The municipality of Mauer dedicates a permanent exhibition to the find on the ground floor of its town hall. A family tree places Homo heidelbergensis in the development of humankind, a display case brings together casts and reconstructions of finds from Europe and Africa attributed to the same human form. In addition there are stone tools, bones with traces of working, animal fossils from the Mauer sands and deposits of the primeval Neckar.

For the 100th anniversary of the find in 2007, the museum in the town hall, the information center in the Heid'sches Haus and the find site were redesigned with support from the Klaus Tschira Stiftung. The association Homo heidelbergensis von Mauer e.V. looks after these stations, offers tours, lectures and a Stone Age studio and links them via the Zeitenpfad (time trail) through the village. In the long term, the Stiftung Urmensch von Mauer aims for its own museum building.

Highlights

• Replica of the Mauer lower jaw
• Display case with skull casts and reconstructions of early human finds
• Animal fossils and sediments from the Mauer sands
• Stone tools and worked bones
• Zeitenpfad to the find site, the Grafenrain sand pit

Permanent exhibitions

• Homo heidelbergensis – Urgeschichte im Rathaus – Family tree of humankind, casts of early human finds as well as animal fossils and tools from the time of the Mauer early human.

Operated by

Gemeinde Mauer

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Tours by arrangement are paid; prices depend on scope and program.

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
• Kids’ birthday parties

In the association's Stone Age studio in the Heid'sches Haus, children can try out Stone Age techniques – bookable for groups, school classes and children's birthday parties.

Getting there & parking

By car via the A6 to exit Sinsheim-West, then on the B 45 toward Neckargemünd to the exit Mauer-Mitte. S-Bahn connection to Heidelberg.

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