Hessenpark Open-Air Museum is one of the first places my husband took me to when I moved to Germany, and it remains one of my favourites. He himself has been visiting since he was young. Now Nina loves going there too.
It’s set up to give the impression of typical village life in Hessen over the last centuries. There are original, traditional buildings from different parts of Hessen which had been carefully deconstructed and re-erected on museum grounds. There are workshops such as basket weaving, beekeeping, rope-making and many more – some you can even do along and bring home the result with you! Sometimes they even have actors playing villagers going about their daily lives.
They also have a marketplace right at the entrance where you can buy many different crafts and food.
Our visit this time coincided with a Plant Market, so they have even more stalls and food than usual. We got to try steam potato dishes straight out of an old-time steam pressure cooker, which are delicious and reminded husband of his childhood.
And of course, there’s a big playground for the little ones.
Nina’s favourite is however the 2 windmills, which she always wants to visit and go into.
This place is a brilliant combination of everything we love: nature walks, museums, interactive workshops, playground, farm animals, good food.
TIPS
- – You can visit the marketplace for free. Just say at the entrance that you only want to visit the marketplace and you can enter without paying for admission.
- – Use the toilets inside the museum building by the playground, it’s cleaner and quieter.