Museum
Roscheider Hof Open Air Museum
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
Roscheider Hof Open Air Museum is a museum in Konz, Germany.
About Roscheider Hof Open Air Museum
Overview & Identity
The Freilichtmuseum Roscheider Hof (Roscheider Hof Open Air Museum) is a folk and open-air museum located in Konz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Situated on the banks of the Saar and Mosel rivers, approximately 8 km west of Trier and 30 km east of Luxembourg, it serves as a center for rural cultural history in the northwest Rhineland-Palatinate and the Greater SaarLorLux region. Unlike many open-air museums that operate as public institutions, the Roscheider Hof is sponsored by a registered non-profit association, 'Volkskunde- und Freilichtmuseum Roscheider Hof, Konz e.V.', founded in 1973. The museum attracts approximately 70,000 visitors annually and is dedicated to preserving and presenting the diverse life worlds of the rural population, ranging from day laborers and farmers to winemakers and craftsmen.
Architecture & Site Layout
The museum is built around a historic four-sided farmstead (Vierseithof) which serves as the main exhibition building and houses the restaurant. The core of this complex includes buildings dating back to the early 16th century, with some parts of the original structure from the 1330s still visible, including a small walled window with late Gothic splays discovered during 1978 renovations. The outdoor grounds cover 22 hectares and feature a reconstructed Hunsrück village with eleven buildings and a developing Moselle village. The site layout is not based on a rigid master plan but evolved through opportunistic acquisitions of buildings and exhibits due to limited financial resources. The architecture reflects the vernacular styles of the region, including half-timbered houses from 1870 and 1950, alongside modern exhibition structures like the Museum of Forestry and Wood.
Collection Highlights & Notable Holdings
The museum's collection spans over 4,000 square meters of indoor exhibition space and extensive outdoor areas. Key highlights include a comprehensive winegrowing exhibition detailing the process from vine planting to bottling, featuring a rare 'Weckerkelter' (falling wedge press) by André Duchscher & Co. The indoor exhibits include a Biedermeier living room, three period rooms showing the evolution of bourgeois living, and a schoolroom equipped with typical Kaiser-era furniture. A unique feature is the 'Children's Worlds' section. The museum also houses two shop streets (Ladengassen) displaying the history of retail, including a 1960s grocery store, a pharmacy, a dentist's office, and various craft workshops like a tinsmith and a blacksmith. Additionally, there is a tin figure and toy museum, and a forestry museum showcasing the life of the forest and wood processing.
Significance & Educational Role
The Roscheider Hof holds significance as a regional cultural hub that preserves the rural heritage of the border region between Germany, Luxembourg, and Lorraine. It focuses on the period from 1860 to 1960, illustrating the transition from traditional agrarian life to modern society. The museum is notable for its authentic reconstruction of daily life, including the preservation of entire shops and workshops taken over from their last owners. It serves an important educational function through guided tours, workshops, and special events such as the annual 'Keltertag' (pressing day) in October, where traditional wine pressing is demonstrated. The museum also hosts a legendary Christmas market and offers programs for children, including birthday parties and activity days, making it a vital center for cultural transmission and community engagement in the Trier region.
Plan your visit
Roscheider Hof Open Air Museum
- Website
- roscheiderhof.de