Kommern - Travelling in Time

We live in a time of rapid change. Never before has our daily life changed as quickly as today.

The Rhenish Open-Air Museum helps us to understand the present better. Experiencing a journey into the past enables us to compare the present with bygone times in an exciting and critical way.

The Rhenish Open-Air Museum focuses on documenting country life as it used to be. About 60 buildings from all over the Rhineland - residential buildings, farmyards, windmills, workshops, but also village community buildings such as a school and bakery, a dance hall and a chapel - have been reerected in the museum. Most of the buildings were reconstructed in their 'original' condition after being moved. The oldest buildings date from the 16th century. On the other hand, furnishings show the economic and living conditions of the 19th and early 20th century. Meanwhile more recent periods, e.g. the 1930's, have been chosen for reconstruction. So you can learn about developments in shorter periods while you walk around the museum.

The buildings are arranged in four groups, set in gardens, fields and orchards, which reflect the old settlements of their respective regions. In the Rhenish Open-Air Museum you can enjoy an experience - and relax, too. While walking around the museum grounds, you will encounter all the animals which formerly characterized the image of the village - not just the cock on the muck-heap. The animal breeds reestablished in the museum, such as 'Glan-Donnersberger' cattle or German 'Weideschwein' Pigs in the museum's forest cannot be found in any zoo!

Throughout the whole year you can witness traditional work, which changes on a daily basis: preparation of good country meals on an antique stove, baking bread in the parish bakery, forging iron nails - Auntie Emma - in the corner shop, the country postman wearing an imperial uniform, farmers with a yoke of oxen, the weaver-woman: from Spring 2002 we await the performers of a new attraction History acted out.