Introducing: Open-air museums in the Rhineland

View of the Lower Rhine building group. Photo: LVR Open-Air Museum Kommern, Hans-Theo Gerhards

To the museum in summer? Of course! After all, there are great open-air museums in the Rhineland that are fun to visit and teach us lots of interesting things about the region's past. Always close by: One of 32 youth hostels in the Rhineland.

VR Archaeological Park Xanten

The Xanten Archaeological Park (APX) is Germany's largest open-air archaeological museum and is located on the site of the Roman city of Colonia Ulpia Traiana. On a scale of 1:1, visitors to the APX will find reconstructed buildings in the form of city walls, harbour temples and a colossal amphitheatre. Not just a backdrop, but walk-in replicas in the original design. Here, visitors can immerse themselves in the Roman way of life, experience how they lived, worked and organised festive spectacles in the arena. Further information

Suitable for: Children from 6 years
Admission: Adults 9.00 euros / children and young people under 18 free
Youth hostels in the neighbourhood: Xanten Youth Hostel (2.4 km, approx. 30 minutes on foot)

Lower Rhine open-air museum Dorenburg in Grefrath

The Lower Rhine Open-Air Museum Dorenburg takes visitors on a journey into the history of the Lower Rhine. Farm buildings with half-timbered houses and workshops show how people used to live and work in the region. The museum provides lively information about the architecture, crafts, traditions, economy and lifestyles of the former inhabitants of the Lower Rhine. Toys from three centuries are on display in the adjoining toy museum. Further information

Suitable for: Children aged 4 and over.
Admission: Adults 4.50 euros / children and young people under 18 free
Youth hostel nearby: Nettetal-Hinsbeck Youth Hostel (7 km) with favourable Offers for families

LVR Open-Air Museum Lindlar

In the 19th century, life in the Bergisches Land was still characterised by unproductive agriculture and strenuous industrial work in the numerous hammers and cottages. Visitors to the Lindlar Open-Air Museum will be surprised at what was available and what determined people's everyday lives in the Bergisches Land in 1900. With numerous exhibitions in historical buildings, the museum brings the past 200 years back to life on an area of around 25 hectares. Further information

Suitable for: Children aged 4 and over.
Admission: Adults 7.00 euros / children and young people under 18 years free
Youth hostel nearby: Lindlar Youth Hostel (2.8 km, approx. 40 minutes on foot)

LVR Open-Air Museum Kommern in Mechernich

One of the largest museums of its kind in Europe takes visitors right into the world of our ancestors. In 75 historic buildings, including farms, workshops, windmills and watermills, they can experience at first hand how people once lived and worked in the Rhineland. Throughout the year, visitors can gain an insight into village life in the former Prussian Rhine Province. Various projects and activity days offer the opportunity to get involved yourself. Further information

Suitable for: Children aged 4 and over.
Admission: Adults 9.50 euros / children and young people under 18 free
Youth hostels in the neighbourhood: Nideggen Youth Hostel (17 km) and Gemünd Vogelsang with favourable Offers for families, Bad Münstereifel Youth Hostel (20 km) with the Historic Eifel„ family savings package“ with museum admission included and further offers for families

Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex UNESCO World Heritage Site

Strictly speaking, the Zollverein colliery is of course not an open-air museum. Thanks to the 100-hectare site, the colliery and coking plant nevertheless offers many opportunities to relive the complex's eventful past outside and „above ground“. There is a lot to discover between the coal washing plant and the Doppelbock on shaft XII, the foundation shaft 1/2/8, the mixing plant and the screening plant on the coking plant site. You can do this either on foot or by bike, which you can hire on site at the RevierRad station at Shaft XII. An e-bus runs across the site every half hour on a hop-on hop-off basis. On the Zollverein tours with contemporary witnesses, a former miner gets on board to show visitors his former place of work.

Incidentally, nature has reclaimed many areas since the closure of the colliery and coking plant. Where chimneys once smoked, visitors can now encounter kestrels, adders and many other animal inhabitants. Further information

Suitable for: Children aged 4 and over.
Admission: free admission to the site / tickets for bus and guided tours see website
Youth hostel nearby: Essen Youth Hostel (14 km) with the Family special offer 3-for-2

Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park

The Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park is not really an open-air museum either, but should not be missed here. The former industrial site is open to the public free of charge and offers a great opportunity to learn a lot about the city's industrial past. Visitors can explore the park on foot - alone or as part of a guided tour - or by bike. Bicycle hire and an e-bike charging station are available. Children in particular see the park as a huge adventure playground: there is a giant tube slide through two ore bunkers, lots of play areas and even an educational farm. In the evening, the light show by British artist Jonathan Park bathes the smelting works in a fascinating sea of light and colour.

An app as a digital guide: the Duisburg North Landscape Park„ app“ is a free guide through the park and takes you to many exciting corners. With the help of augmented reality, you can immerse yourself in times gone by and follow the transformation of the old ironworks and its buildings. The app also keeps you up to date on festivals, trade fairs, sporting and cultural highlights. Further information

Suitable for: Families with children of all ages
Admission: free of charge / guided tours see website
Youth hostel nearby: Duisburg Landschaftspark Youth Hostel directly at the park with favourable offers for families and Duisburg Sportpark Youth Hostel (approx. 10 kilometres) also with favourable offers for families