Map of the site

Change view:
Service offering Gardens Animals

Agrarium (2012)
3300 m2 exhibition area on three floors and under a pitched roof. Find out everything you need to know about the food industry, driving forces and agriculture here.

Agrarium (2012)

Gin gang from Gross Todtshorn (1880/1890)
Horse and animal engines were used to drive equipment, such as straw-cutting machines.

Gin gang from Gross Todtshorn (1880/1890)

Potato store from Otter (1887)
Potato stores protected potatoes from winter frosts. The potatoes were stored in the cellar. The ground and upper floor were used to store grain.

Potato store from Otter (1887)

Henhouse from Winsen (1910 – Rekonstruction)
The henhouse was built using the rammed earth technique, a simple method which was primarily used in times of need.

Henhouse from Winsen (1910 – Rekonstruction)

Wind pump from Asendorf (1900)
Iron wind pumps were used in the period around 1900 to lift water from wells or, less commonly, to power electricity generators.

Wind pump from Asendorf (1900)

Museum shop (1980)
Sells books, toys and much more besides. The art nouveau fixtures and fittings date from 1911 and came from a general store in Marburg.

Museum shop (1980)

Exhibition building (1980)
The "Worlds of Play" permanent exhibition is devoted to 20th century toys and games. You can also visit our special exhibitions.

Exhibition building (1980)

Nissen hut from Camp Reinsehlen (1950)
Corrugated iron Nissen huts were used as emergency housing in the aftermath of WWII.

Nissen hut from Camp Reinsehlen (1950)

Concrete block works from Oelstorf (um 1900 – Reconstruction)
From the turn of the 20th century people in the region increasingly used concrete as a building material, especially for wells.

Concrete block works from Oelstorf (um 1900 – Reconstruction)

Waggon shed from Wistedt (ca.1880)
In the 19th century farmers often built open-sided sheds which they used to protect their valuable waggons from the elements.

Waggon shed from Wistedt (ca.1880)

Blacksmith's forge from Pattensen (1844)
The village smithy still has its original fixtures and fittings dating from 1970. It is used for ironworking courses and demonstrations.

Blacksmith's forge from Pattensen (1844)

Corbelinscher Hof farmhouse from Pattensen (1687)
'Corbelin's House' was the home of a prosperous smallholder.

Corbelinscher Hof farmhouse from Pattensen (1687)

Beehive shelter from Ehestorf (ca. 1850)
These semi-open shelters protected the heath farmers' skeps (basket beehives) from the elements.

Beehive shelter from Ehestorf (ca. 1850)

Dragoon's barn from Asendorf (ca. 1700)
The barn was used for a variety of purposes, one of which was to house a Hanoverian dragoon and his horse. We exhibit it as a cooper's workshop.

Dragoon's barn from Asendorf (ca. 1700)

Bentheim Black Pied Pigs
This breed of pigs was very popular from the middle of the 19th century onwards. They are very calm and resistant to stress and produce high quality meat.

Bentheim Black Pied Pigs

Farm labourer's house from Emsen (ca. 1800)
'Häuslinge' were farm labourers who were allowed to keep their own livestock and supplemented their incomes by working as artisans.

Farm labourer's house from Emsen (ca. 1800)

Silberhof farmhouse from Scharmbeck (1612)
A magnificent farmhouse with furnishings dating from ca. 1650. The woodcarvings and brickwork are unusual for a heath farmhouse.

Silberhof farmhouse from Scharmbeck (1612)

Barn from Ochtmannsbruch (1750)
Barns were multi-purpose outbuildings on heath farms. This one was used as carpenter's workshop. It also shows a rake manufacturer's workshop.

Barn from Ochtmannsbruch (1750)

Pastor's barn from Sinstorf (ca. 1850)
The building was used for numerous purposes, most recently as a classroom for confirmation classes, and is today the museum's guesthouse.

Pastor's barn from Sinstorf (ca. 1850)

Ramelsloh "Blue Leg" Chickens
The museum is a member of the Ramelsloh breeding ring for the preservation of this endangered breed of chickens.

Ramelsloh "Blue Leg" Chickens

Honey barn from Riepshof near Otter (1688)
The barn was used by a beekeeper to store his equipment.

Honey barn from Riepshof near Otter (1688)

Bees
The museum has its own bee-keeping club and bee colonies in the grounds. Without these hard-working pollinators there would be no harvests in late summer.

Bees

Pringenshof farmhouse from Kakenstorf (1797)
A typical Low German 'hall house' with a 'Diele' (hall), 'Flett' (cooking and eating area) and 'Kammerfach' (living quarters). The house is furnished in the style common around 1800.

Pringenshof farmhouse from Kakenstorf (1797)

Linen barn from Garlstorf (1750)
The barn was used to store equipment and food. It also provided accommodation for a farmhand.

Linen barn from Garlstorf (1750)

Waggon shed (ca. 1850 – Reconstruction)
A shed used for farm waggons, coaches and sleighs.

Waggon shed (ca. 1850 – Reconstruction)

Threshing barn from Riepshof near Otter (1688)
Probably originally built as a sheep shed. Threshing barns have two doors on opposite sides of the building which allowed waggons to drive in with their loads without having to first unharness the horses. They could then drive out again through the other door without having to turn round.

Threshing barn from Riepshof near Otter (1688)

Tithe barn from Kakenstorf (1602)
The tithe barn was used to store tithe grain until it was collected by the owner of the tithe right.

Tithe barn from Kakenstorf (1602)

Threshing barn from Riepshof near Otter (1688)
Probably originally built as a sheep shed. Threshing barns have two doors on opposite sides of the building which allowed waggons to drive in with their loads without having to first unharness the horses. They could then drive out again through the other door without having to turn round.

Threshing barn from Riepshof near Otter (1688)

Sheep barn from Wesel (ca. 1600)
An external sheep barn which was used to as a secure place to keep heath sheep during the night.

Sheep barn from Wesel (ca. 1600)

Bentheim Sheep
Large herds of these sheep roamed Germany's heath areas until the 1950's. Today they are an endangered domestic animal breed.

Bentheim Sheep

Hof Meyn farmhouse from Marschacht (1560)
When it was built the farmhouse was one of the biggest in the Winsen Marsh area. The farmhouse is furnished in a style which is typical for ca. 1830.

Hof Meyn farmhouse from Marschacht (1560)

Barn from Tespe (1586)
The barn was used to store grain. Today it is used to house our artisans exhibition.

Barn from Tespe (1586)

Barn from Handorf (1665)
The barn was used to store hay in the winter. The wattle walls allow air to circulate. The windward side has been sealed off using oak boards.

Barn from Handorf (1665)

Dance hall with museum distillery (1889)
Dance halls were built in many villages at the end of the 19th century. This one is decorated with murals and has a typical gallery where the band sat to play.

Dance hall with museum distillery (1889)

Fisherman and artisan's house from Drage (1703)
This type of dwelling was typical for the Elbe marshes from the 17th to the 19th centuries and was home to fishermen, artisans and day labourers.

Fisherman and artisan's house from Drage (1703)

Skittle alley from Mover (1920)
At the end of the 19th century rural pubs became places where villagers could spend their leisure hours. In response to this, many publicans installed skittle alleys.

Skittle alley from Mover (1920)

Home for the widows of the parish's pastors from Marschacht "Stoof Mudders Kroog" museum tavern (1698)
The building was originally used to take care of pastors' widows and from 1815 was used as a tavern. Tenant Ella Stoof, known as "Stoof Mudder", was famous for her fried potato dishes.

Home for the widows of the parish's pastors from Marschacht "Stoof Mudders Kroog" museum tavern (1698)

Garden pavilion from Luhdorf (1902)
The structure was used as a band stand which provided as much protection as possible from the elements. Pavilions date from an era in which pubs were increasingly becoming places where guests could spend their leisure hours.

Garden pavilion from Luhdorf (1902)

Wagner's House from Oldershausen (1803)
This former tavern was popular with boatmen and farmers. Today the museum's weaving room is located in the former function room on the upper floor.

Wagner's House from Oldershausen (1803)

Fisherman's house market garden
The inhabitants of the Elbe marshes not only grew fruit and vegetables for their own needs, but also to sell, transporting their produce to the nearest town by barge. They grew tomatoes and cucumbers among other things.

Fisherman's house market garden

Ramelsloh "Blue Leg" Chickens
The museum is a member of the Ramelsloh breeding ring for the preservation of this endangered breed of chickens.

Ramelsloh "Blue Leg" Chickens

Pomeranian Geese
Thanks to their calm nature these geese were a popular domestic breed in the era around 1900.

Pomeranian Geese

Ramelsloh "Blue Leg" Chickens
The museum is a member of the Ramelsloh breeding ring for the preservation of this endangered breed of chickens.

Ramelsloh "Blue Leg" Chickens

Nissen hut allotment
In the years immediately after WWII food shortages meant that the residents had to be as self-sufficient as possible. Despite strict bans they also grew potatoes and tobacco.

Nissen hut allotment

Lüneburg country garden
A living genetic archive of heritage crop plants. It is also where we grow our "Apples of the year".

Lüneburg country garden

Shepherd Ast's garden
Named after Shepherd Ast (1848-1921). The herb garden is designed to be used by the visually impaired.

Shepherd Ast's garden

Black Pied Cattle
Farmers have been breeding this robust, versatile breed since 1856. Today they are at risk of extinction.

Black Pied Cattle

Pringenshof farm garden
The garden was used to produce fruit and vegetables for the heath farm's residents around 1800. The sandy soils in the region were very poor. Crops included pulses.

Pringenshof farm garden

QUELLE prefabricated house from Winsen (Luhe) (1966)
In 1962, QUELLE was the first German mail-order company to offer prefabricated houses in its catalog. The building, which was erected in 1966 and has just under 110 m2 of living space, is largely furnished at the Kiekeberg with original furniture from the resident Gröll family.

QUELLE prefabricated house from Winsen (Luhe) (1966)


Wagon showers from Wistedt (around 1880)
In the 19th century, farmers built more frequent showers to protect their valuable carts from the weather.

Wagon showers from Wistedt (around 1880)