Erlebniswelt Toggenburg

About the museum

The heart of the museum is a Spur 0 (O-gauge) model railway, which textile manufacturer Paul Weibel and his son Ludwig began building at Christmas 1942. The layout grew over decades, was built in sections and was repeatedly shown at exhibitions, including in 1947 at the Tonhalle in St. Gallen, in 1957 at the Olma and in 1990 in Wiesbaden. Afterwards, it was stored in crates in Zurich for years.

In 2002, the idea arose of bringing the railway back to the Toggenburg. Railway enthusiasts from Lichtensteig joined together as the Erlebniswelt Toggenburg, took over the layout and converted a factory hall of the Thuroplast company into an exhibition space. The Model Train Club Toggenburg has operated and maintained the layout ever since; the museum opened in 2003. According to the museum, it is the largest toy and hobby railway in Europe in Spur 0, with about 500 square meters of floor space, roughly 1,400 meters of track, 60 locomotives and around 400 wagons. The demonstrations are controlled by a rotating drum, following the technology of the era in which it was built.

Over time, the museum has grown to include further collections: the dolls and doll's houses of collector Elsa Walz (1913–2014) from three centuries, around 50 vintage motorcycles and farm machinery from Lichtensteig collector Sepp Schlumpf, and the Jüdel signal box from 1910, which once stood at Lichtensteig station and can still be demonstrated.

Highlights

• Spur 0 model railway on about 500 square meters, with up to 15 trains running at once
• Train demonstrations on opening days, controlled by a program drum
• Dolls and doll's houses from three centuries (Elsa Walz collection)
• About 50 vintage motorcycles from the Sepp Schlumpf collection
• Farm machinery from grandfather's day, including a water ram model
• Mechanical Jüdel signal box from 1910, from Lichtensteig station

Permanent exhibitions

• Spur-0-Eisenbahn – The large model railway layout in the auditorium, in front of panoramic images of the Alpstein, with up to 15 trains running at once and demonstrations on opening days.
• Puppensammlung Elsa Walz – Dolls and doll's houses from three centuries that show middle-class domestic life, including pieces from well-known manufacturers.
• Alte Motorräder und Landmaschinen – About 50 restored motorcycles with accessories, as well as agricultural equipment and motor mowers from the Sepp Schlumpf collection.

Founded

2003

Operated by

Erlebniswelt Toggenburg (mit dem Model Train Club Toggenburg)

Admission & discounts

The admission ticket is valid for the whole day; you may leave the museum and return later.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Playground / play area

The museum has a children's corner; according to the museums.ch profile, there is at least one offer for families and children.

Getting there & parking

By car from the center of Lichtensteig, drive toward Wil and after about 400 meters turn left down to the exhibition (follow the signs).

Amenities & dining

Bistro with a dining room, which can also be rented for special occasions outside opening hours; for groups, apéros or catering are arranged on request.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The bistro can be rented for special occasions outside normal opening hours; apéros for groups (also on arrival) on request.

Plan your visit