
Haus der Natur Cismar
Private natural history museum in the monastery village of Cismar near Grömitz with Germany's largest display of snail and mussel shells.
Over het museum
The museum's foundation is the private collection of Vollrath Wiese, who specialized in snails and mussels as early as 1974 at the age of twelve. When the collection outgrew the family home, it moved in 1979 to converted garages behind Cismar Monastery. Because passing vacationers asked for a visit, the family opened the "Kleines Haus der Natur" (Little House of Nature) to the public in July 1979; the following year more than 10,000 guests came.
In the 1980s the exhibition, scientific reference collection, and specialist library grew steadily, and an extension was added in 1985. At the suggestion of the state and the municipality, in 1989 the family bought the ruin of the former inn "Lindenhof" in the village center, a brick building erected around 1880. With public funding, a lot of their own work, and the support of the friends' association founded in 1991, it was rebuilt by 1994; in April 1995 the museum opened at its present location on the B 501.
The building and collections remain privately owned to this day, and the museum is run entirely by volunteers. On more than 500 square meters it presents minerals, fossils, mounted animals, insects, and corals; the focus is on more than 5,000 species of snails and mussels. Behind the scenes is stored a research collection of several million mollusk shells, one of the largest private collections of its kind in the world. The grounds include a herb garden modeled on a monastery garden and a pond with European pond turtles.
Hoogtepunten
- More than 5,000 species of snails and mussels on display
- Minerals, fossils, and mounted birds and mammals
- Monastery garden with around 100 herb species
- Pond with native pond turtles in the museum garden
- Audio information system "Ohrmuschel" with around 50 stations
Vaste collectie
- Schnecken und Muscheln – Shells of more than 5,000 mollusk species from around the world, from tiny forms to specimens a meter long, including many rarities.
- Naturkundliche Schausammlung – Minerals, fossils, mounted birds and mammals, insects, crustaceans, and corals from the region and from other continents.
- Klostergarten und Außenanlage – Signposted herb garden with culinary and medicinal plants modeled on a monastery garden, nesting aids, and a pond with pond turtles.
- Opgericht
- 1979
- Beheerder
- Privatmuseum der Familie Wiese, ehrenamtlich betrieben
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
| Volwassenen | € 5 |
|---|---|
| Met korting | € 4 |
| Kinderen & jongeren | € 2Children and young people €2 |
| Groepen | € 4 p.p.Group price €4 per person; advance registration requested |
| Family annual pass (incl. membership in the friends' association) | € 20Verein zur Förderung der Naturkunde in Cismar e.V., per family per year |
Toegankelijkheid
- Rolstoeltoegankelijk
- Lift
- Aangepast toilet
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
- Hulphonden welkom: geen informatie
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie: geen informatie
Both floors are accessible by wheelchair or walker; the team helps with using the elevator, and a companion is recommended. One restroom is designed for wheelchairs and walkers. Tactile tours (especially of snails and mussels) by registration. The audio information system offers the texts audible and readable on your smartphone. Animals are not allowed in the museum.
Kinderen & gezin
Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen
- Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
- Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
- Doe- en voelstations
Museum scavenger hunts and companion sheets on around 35 topics, interactive computer learning games in the exhibition. Weekly children's and youth group "Junge Naturforscher" (Young Naturalists) Thursdays 16:00–18:00 (outside school holidays) and an annual children's and youth day in August. In the garden you can observe pond turtles, insects, and birds.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met het openbaar vervoer
Cismar, Klosterkrug · 20 m
Buses about hourly from Neustadt (Holstein) to the stop "Cismar, Klosterkrug" directly at the museum; less frequently also from Lensahn. Nearest train stations: Neustadt (Holstein), Lensahn, Oldenburg (Holstein).
Met de auto
Parkeerplaats aanwezig
Some parking spaces at the house; large car and bus parking lot directly across the street, further spaces in front of Cismar Monastery and at the Klosterkrug (also for buses there).
By car via the A 1, exit Lensahn, then follow the "Kloster Cismar" signs; the museum is 150 m from the monastery on the B 501. GPS: Bäderstraße 26, 23743 Cismar.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Museumwinkel
Sale of museum guides, identification cards, postcards, and small souvenirs.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd – vraag het rechtstreeks na bij het museum.
Je bezoek plannen
| Rondleidingen | ja |
|---|---|
| Audiotour | ja (DE, EN) |
| Aanbod voor scholen | ja |
| Goed om te weten | Audio information system "Ohrmuschel" via smartphone and QR code at around 50 stations. Tours and educational support for groups and school classes by registration, also on the outdoor grounds; offers from the "Bildungsspaß Ostholstein" program can be booked here. A seminar and lecture room is available for group work. |





