See, marvel, learn through play and - literally - touch: The museums of Rheinhessen invite you to do just that. Marina Noble took a look around three of them for you. She discovered fossilized time capsules from prehistoric times; bicycles in everyday life, sport and art; as well as dolls from near and far that make us laugh today as they did in the past.
There is also news for the 2025 season: the Palaeontological Museum in Nierstein has a remarkable new addition in the form of the prehistoric horse. A special exhibition at the Bicycle Museum in Gau-Algesheim sheds light on children's and young people's bicycles. The Museum für PuppentheaterKultur in Bad Kreuznach is celebrating its 20th anniversary from September with the special exhibition "Geschnitzt - Geformt - Gestaltet" and a series of events.
Time capsules of 500 million years of the earth's history: Nierstein Paleontological Museum
The Palaeontological Museum in Nierstein takes visitors on a journey more than 500 million years into the past with its extensive collection of fossils. Museum director Harald Stapf describes the treasures in over 50 display cases and on the walls as "time capsules". Because they hold traces that animals or plants left behind in the mud an unimaginably long time ago. The millennia have frozen them as snapshots of that time. Visitors can view them today - practically like photographs. Some are millimetres in size, others are over two meters thick like the fish dinosaur or a complete manatee skeleton. "We present the most diverse and species-rich fossil exhibition open to the public in Rhineland-Palatinate," sums up the museum director.
How many exhibits are there? Instead of giving an answer, Harald Stapf takes us to the Mainz Schneckenstein. This alone consists of countless small fossils. The large size of the collection is deliberately not exhibited in a reduced form, because "we want to show the enormous variety of species and forms and encourage visitors to think about what used to be". An expert is always on hand to answer questions. For example, how the fossils are prepared from the surrounding rock.
One room is dedicated to finds from the sand pits in the Mainz Basin, which was once covered by a sea. On display here are fish, shells, sea urchins, corals, snails with exciting names such as "elephant tooth snail", but also prehistoric pigs and elephants or rhinoceroses, which were at home here at that time. Harald Stapf is particularly proud of the teeth of giant tooth sharks, which are around ten centimetres long and are among the largest of their kind. Flamingos in Oppenheim? They did exist, as a bone find proves. Scorpions in Nierstein? Fossilized traces prove their existence.
Another of the entertainingly written information boards asks: Can you see impact craters here? No, they are raindrops in the mud, fossilized and preserved for eternity. One corner further on: Why is there a champagne bottle hanging here between huge snail shells? It stands for the habitat of the giant snail "Campanile", whose shape is reminiscent of a church spire. In the French region of Champagne, this species came to light during work on the cellars for maturing the noble drink. Finds have also been made in other countries - from the Czech Republic to Scandinavia.
What does the red dot mean? Not "sold" as in a gallery, but "first described of this kind". Harald Stapf tells another story: "We go "digging" ourselves in pits that are currently being dug out. Near Kulmbach in Franconia, we found the horseshoe crab for the first time with the help of excavator driver Pochanke." Its scientific name is "Franconiolimus pochankei", analogous to the place of discovery and supporter. The founder of the museum, amateur palaeontologist Arnulf Stapf, was also honored in this way: the two-centimeter mayfly "Arnulfias stapfi" bears his name.
What are children particularly interested in? Dinosaurs, of course. That's why their favorite exhibits include the fossilized dinosaur tracks and the eggs of the prehistoric lizards.
New 2025: The smallest original horse in the world
A new highlight of the museum has found its home in a specially constructed display case made of steel and wood: A prehistoric horse, more precisely a foal of the species Eurohippus messelensis. It is around 50 million years old and is said to be the smallest in the world. The exhibit is thanks to a benefactor: he stipulated that the best pieces of his "Messel collection" should be exhibited in Nierstein after his death.
Opening hours Paleontological Museum NiersteinSundays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by appointment, admission free. The digital 360° view gives an impression Panorama tour.
The wheel is turned here: In the Rheinhessen Bicycle Museum in Gau-Algesheim
Of course, a bicycle museum focuses on bicycles of all kinds: for women, men, children, for everyday use and sport, historical and electric. Even for people who are less interested in technical details, the 80 or so exhibits in five rooms at Ardeck Castle in Gau-Algesheim provide exciting insights: How did inventiveness and the pursuit of improvement drive the development of the "most widespread, sustainable and environmentally friendly means of individual transportation"? How is it used in sport? How has it inspired art? The motto is always "grasp to grasp": Visitors should actively experience and everyone is allowed to turn the wheel.
The history is fascinating: it all started at the beginning of the 19th century with walking machines called draisines. With these, the rider's own feet moved forward by walking on the ground. This was quickly followed by innovations to the handlebars, pedals, frame and wheels. The generation of penny-farthings with oversized front wheels led to many head-over-heels accidents. Inventors therefore came up with the safety bike with solid rubber tires of the same size. "Many types were only built for a short time before modernizations were made," explains museum director Emil Busch.
"We are a regional cycling and cycling museum, because it's also about cycling, which is particularly widespread in Rheinhessen," he explains. An entire room is dedicated to this area: videos illustrate the acrobatic feats performed by artistic cyclists. On the walls hang jerseys worn by Rudi Altig and Jan Ulrich at the Tour de France - ennobled with their autographs. You can even get a feel for track racing by getting on the single speed bike. In the display case next to it are rackets and balls from lesser-known sports such as cycling polo. An information board tells of "battle-whispering, glory-hungry Amazons". At the end of the 19th century, women who had the courage to take part in cycling races against all prohibitions were denigrated in this way.
The prints on the walls of another room show that rolling wheels inspired art. The work by the German-American painter Lyonel Feininger is entitled "Radrennen" ("Cycle Race") and "Endspurt" ("Final Spurt") by the Japanese artist Tatsuo Taki. The bull's head made of saddle and handlebars is inspired by Picasso. In the middle of the room is another example of how people solve problems: Scotsman Bickerton wanted to use his bike in central London. However, it was forbidden to take bikes on the subway. So he invented a bike that had nothing welded to it. He was then able to transport this first folding bike in history in a reduced size in a bag on the subway.
Special exhibition 2025: Bicycles for children and young people
The focus here is on the past and present of children's and youth bikes. The first bicycle models were unsuitable for youngsters. This was only changed by the single-track two-wheelers with pedal cranks, which were invented around 1867. Children's bicycles were first popularized by an influencer of his time: the French Emperor Napoleon III delighted his eleven-year-old crown prince with them. Later, two- and three-wheelers suitable for short legs were also developed in Germany. These iron bicycles were probably not entirely comfortable; they were popularly known as "bone shakers". Subsequent generations loved models that sometimes achieved cult status: in the 1950s the "Tretroller", a combination of bicycle and scooter, or in the 1970s the Bonanza bike with banana saddle and deer antler handlebars. The information boards also show which equipment is important for road safety.
Opening hours Rheinhessen Bicycle Museum: Every year from Easter Sunday to the second weekend in October, on Sundays and public holidays from 14:00 to 18:00, or by arrangement, admission free. There are special guided tours and workshops for children with hands-on activities, quizzes and tasks that also focus on safety.
By the way: the museum is located on various cycle paths such as the Fruit route. The hiking trail also leads nearby "Hiwweltour Bismarck Tower" over.
Mighty marionettes and filigree figures: Museum for Puppet Theater Culture Bad Kreuznach
Kaspar, Seppl, Käpt'n Blaubär and Hein Blöd or the characters from the Augsburger Puppenkiste: Stars made of wood and fabric make an appearance at the Museum für PuppentheaterKultur, or PuK for short, in Bad Kreuznach. Visitors can get close to childhood favorites, take a look behind the scenes and learn exciting stories. In the entrance area, PuKinello, a special creation for the tenth anniversary of the museum, greets visitors larger than life and lanky. Like many other things in the museum, the figure also stands for a record: it is the largest marionette that can be played by a single person.
The exhibits on the upper floor show that there was a long way to go before it became an art form in its own right on the stage and on television. Puppet theater began as popular entertainment at fairs and in inns. The puppeteers were a traveling people, eyed with suspicion by the population, who even hung white flags on their caravans as a sign of their integrity. At first they played from their coats, then they carried the puppet box on their backs as a "stage house". This became the "theater out of a suitcase". It was not until 1900 that the first permanent theater was built in Munich.
The many rod and shadow puppets, stick puppets and marionettes - sometimes with funny, sometimes with demonic facial expressions - show just how multifaceted the stage stars are. "From wooden block to wooden head" required the highest level of craftsmanship. This can be seen in the workshop of carver Till de Kock and his wife Hilde. Time and again there were further developments: A special feature as one of the few talking dolls is the grandma from Stuttgart. In the museum, all you have to do is press a button and she starts talking in Swabian. Another press of the button makes her start knitting.
For example, visitors can pick up a figure of the Hohnstein Kasper, who is considered a pioneer of television puppets. And a little further on, you can go on a journey yourself in the virtual Fliewatüüt. In 1972, the children's TV series "Robbi, Tobbi and the Fliewatüüt" told the story of a resourceful boy and his robot friend who invent a flying vehicle and set off on an adventure.
This makes the museum fun for children too: touch dolls here, listen to audios there and get active at play stations. Red pointed hats show where this is welcome. An information leaflet specially developed for young visitors invites them to take part in a museum rally. There are guided tours for children and workshops where youngsters can build figures like Pinocchio themselves. Once a month on PuK Theater Sunday for families, the curtain rises for two performances in the main hall.
Adults also experience many aha moments. Museum employee Katrin Keber points to a pair of shoes with extra thick platform soles. The puppeteers wore these so that they could play the tall figures better. The view of the wider world is also exciting: in Vietnam, puppetry floats, the Bunraku figures from Japan have a special eye mechanism and in Indonesia, Wayang shadow puppets drive away ghosts and demons. UNESCO has even recognized eight puppetry traditions as "Intangible Cultural Heritage".
Anniversary and special exhibition 2025 "Carved - Shaped - Designed"
This year, the Museum für PuppentheaterKultur is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Visitors of all ages will be treated to a series of anniversary events. In addition, a special exhibition on the work of Hamburg master puppet maker Jürgen Maaßen opens in September. Entitled "Geschnitzt - Geformt - Gestaltet" (Carved - Shaped - Designed), it shows how diverse and artistic stage creatures can be designed for puppetry, drama and film. The exhibition accompanies a festival in which Maaßen figures play their roles in nine different productions.
Opening hours of the Museum for Puppet Theater Culture (PuK)Tuesday 10 am - 1 pm, Wednesday to Friday 10 am - 4 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am - 5 pm, closed on Mondays.
The combined ticket, which also includes the Römerhalle and Schloßpark museums includes
