The Schwarzwälder Freilichtmuseum Vogtsbauernhof (Black Forest Open Air Museum Vogtsbauernhof) is an open air museum in the Black Forest, Germany, located between Hausach and Gutach.

The museum is centred on the Vogtsbauernhof farmhouse dating from 1612, which was built on this site. Other buildings from the Black Forest have been dismantled, transported to the museum and reassembled.

Attractions

There are six fully furnished farmhouses:

• Vogtsbauernhof - built on the site, altitude 260m, in 1612. Inside is an exhibition of typical work carried out by travelling craftsmen.
• Hotzenwaldhaus - from Hotzenwald, altitude 920m. Built in 1756. Exhibition of Black Forest textile handicraft.
• Falkenhof - from Dreisamtal, altitude 530m. Built in 1737. Exhibitions are on dairy and livestock farming in the Black Forest and a comparison of historical and modern light sources.
• Schauinslandhaus - from Schauinsland, altutude 1100m. Built in 1730. Exhibition of woodworking craft.
• Hippenseppenhof - from Furtwangen-Katzensteig, altitude 920m. Built in 1599. Exhibitions on clocks and traditional costumes of the Black Forest.
• Lorenzenhof - from Oberwolfach in the Kinzig valley, 350m. Built in 1608. Exhibitions of forestry management and glassblowing and a collection of regional stone and minerals.

Other buildings include a day labourer's cottage (1819) and outbuildings including a mill (1609), a sawmill (1673), barns, stalls, a chapel (1736), a storehouse (1601-1746) and a granny house (Leibgedinghaus - 1652).

Around the buildings are farm animals and a herb garden with over 130 medicinal herbs. Demonstrations of exhibitions illustrate the crafts, tools, customs, traditions, work and lifestyle of former times.

History

The museum opened in 1964, founded as the first open air museum in Baden-Württemberg. Key events in the museum's history are:

• 1963 Foundation of the museum and beginning of restoration of Vogtsbauernhof farmstead
• 1964 Opening of Vogtsbauernhof farmstead and its outbuildings
• 1966 Opening of Hippenseppenhof farmstead and its outbuildings
• 1972 Opening of Lorenzenhof farmstead
• 1980 Opening of Hotzenwald farmstead
• 1982 Opening of Schauinsland farmstead
• 1996 Museum is transferred into an enterprise
• 1999 Opening of Falkenhof farmstead
• 2002 Opening of Day labourer's Cottage "Wirtstonis"

Visiting

The museum is open daily from the end of March until early November. It claims to be the most visited open-air museum in Germany and one of the most visited throughout Europe, with more than 250,000 visitors a year. Since its opening, the museum has attracted over 13.5 million visitors.

External links

Official website in English

References

1. Official information leaflet
2. Museum profile on official website
3. Museum profile on official website