Hexenbürgermeisterhaus

Over het museum

The merchant Hermann Kruwel and his wife Lisbeth Fürstenau had the townhouse on Breite Straße built between 1568 and 1571; its richly articulated show facade is considered a major work of the Weser Renaissance. It owes its nickname ("Witch Mayor's House") to Hermann Cothmann, who lived here and, as mayor in the 1660s to 1680s, drove forward the Lemgo witch trials.

When the owners wanted to sell the facade in 1910, public protests prevented its removal; the town acquired the house for its collection of antiquities. The museum opened on November 13, 1926. During the Nazi era it was expanded and ideologically co-opted – with a hero cult around Engelbert Kaempfer and a sensationalist "torture chamber". After the end of the war it quickly reopened and attracted many visitors in the 1950s; from the 1960s an extension and exhibitions of contemporary art were added.

Headed by a full-time director since 1990, the museum developed into a modern city museum. After a comprehensive renovation (1999–2004), it was connected with the neighboring Weege house, which has housed the foyer and administration since 2007. The permanent exhibition, opened in 2007, puts the building and its inhabitants at the center and replaced the old "torture chamber" with a factual presentation of the witch persecution including biographies of the victims.

The facade was restored in 2014/15; admission has been free since 2016. Today the museum shows, besides the founding of the town, the Hanseatic League and the Reformation, also the life and work of the Lemgo physician and Japan traveler Engelbert Kaempfer, and supplements the permanent exhibition with special exhibitions and educational programs.

Hoogtepunten

• Magnificent Weser Renaissance facade (1568–1571)
• Exhibition on witch persecution with biographies of the victims
• Engelbert Kaempfer and his travels to Persia and Japan
• Preserved Japanese giant crabs
• Free admission

Vaste collectie

• Geschichte des Hauses – Building history of the Renaissance townhouse and the people who lived in it, set within the founding of the town, the Hanseatic League and the Reformation.
• Hexenverfolgung in Lemgo – Factual presentation of the Lemgo witch trials that shows the fate of the persecuted through their life stories.
• Engelbert Kaempfer – Life, travels and work of the physician and naturalist born in Lemgo who traveled to Japan at the end of the 17th century.

Opgericht

1926

Beheerder

Alte Hansestadt Lemgo

Directie

Fabian Schröder

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

De toegang is gratis.

Free admission, a donation is requested. Public guided tour €3, children under 14 years €1.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift
• Aangepast toilet: geen informatie
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
• Hulphonden welkom: geen informatie
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

Entrance area and hallway are level and low-barrier; hall, attic, exhibition rooms in the basement and changing exhibition rooms can be reached by elevator.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Kinderfeestjes

Free puzzle and discovery booklet with the giant crab Mac for children aged 6 to 12. Programs for children aged 5 to 12, also bookable as a children's birthday party; in the summer holidays a multi-day museum holiday workshop.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The museum is in the middle of the historic old town on Breite Straße.

Service & horeca

• Museumwinkel

Museum shop in the foyer with publications on the town's history, regional products and souvenirs.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd – vraag het rechtstreeks na bij het museum.

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