Winzermuseum Rauenberg

About the museum

The Winzermuseum (Winegrowers' Museum) is housed in the former castle of the Speyer prince-bishops in Rauenberg. Construction of the castle began in 1773 on the foundations of an older moated castle; it served the Hochstift Speyer (Speyer prince-bishopric) as an administrative seat and was used at the end of the 19th century by the firm Landfried as a cigar factory.

The museum goes back to its founder, Gerhard Geißler. As early as 1981, five years before the opening, the Interessengemeinschaft Rauenberger Winzermuseum (interest group) took over the setup and care of the collection. In 1990 the Arbeitskreis Heimatpflege (local heritage working group) at the Regierungspräsidium Karlsruhe (Karlsruhe regional council) honored the house as an exemplary local history museum. After Geißler's unexpected death in February 2005, the interest group became today's association; the town of Rauenberg is the museum's sponsor.

The exhibition sees itself as a museum to touch: lifelike recreations show the living and working worlds of the winegrowing families around the Letzenberg, in the Angelbachtal, on the southern Bergstraße, and in the Kraichgau. On display are, among other things, a wine cellar, a cooperage, a shoemaker's workshop, a brickworks, the castle kitchen, parlors, and a classroom and children's room. School classes also use the house for local heritage lessons.

Highlights

• Wine cellar and cooperage
• Recreated workshops such as the shoemaker and brickworks
• Historic classroom and children's room
• Hands-on museum in Rauenberg Castle
• Virtual tour on the website

Permanent exhibition

• Dörfliches Leben der Winzerfamilien – Lifelike rooms show housing, crafts, and winegrowing of the winegrowing families around the Letzenberg, Angelbachtal, and the Kraichgau.

Founded

1986

Operated by

Stadt Rauenberg (Trägerschaft); Betreuung durch Interessengemeinschaft Winzermuseum e. V.

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission during regular opening hours is free.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

• Hands-on stations

The museum is set up as a "museum to touch"; school classes from the region use it for local heritage lessons.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Weddings / ceremonies

Civil weddings can be held at the museum through the registry office (fee €150); regulars' meetings quarterly, by announcement.

Plan your visit