Palaeontology Museum "Bürgermeister-Müller-Museum"
"The Archaeopteryx and Its Fascinating World" at the "Museum Solnhofen"
The Museum Solnhofen hosts one of the most important palaeontological collections of the whole of Bavaria. The palaeological zoo "Paläozoo" focusses on the geological environment of the Solnhofen's archipelago existing about 150 million years ago and on its forms of life. The animals that once lived there are now to be seen as fossils next to each other at the Paläozoo. At the upper floor the section "Solnhofen - The World in Stone" ("Solnhofen, die Welt in Stein") focusses on the limestone slabs of Solnhofen, lithography and the town of Solnhofen with its quarries and fossils as well as on the current museum's activities. Thanks to lithography, invented by Alois Senefelder in 1798, Solnhofen experienced a strong revival: in fact, only the fine-grained stone of Solnhofen could be used for printing. An exhibition on lithography shows the many possibilities offered by this printing process in art.
The "Audioguide Paläozoo" accompanies visitors through the exhibition providing them with important information. The "icons room" is the core of the exhibition and has an electrifying effect on visitors thanks to the "Fascinating world of the Archaeopteryx" staged here. The Archaeopteryx is a registered national cultural asset and thus an icon of the palaeontological museum scenery in Germany. Only twelve specimens of this bird-like predator dinosaur have been found up today and - as nowhere else in the world - three original specimens of Archaeopteryx are exhibited here together with the feathered predator dinosaur Sciurumimus. In the centre of the room, there is the museum's multimedia station that provides all substantial information on this fossil, which science history has depicted as "primeval bird". The multimedia station makes a million-of-years long history comprehensible to all visitors who can directly shift the continents on the screen from the time of the Solhnofen's archipelago (150 million years ago) up to the present day.
The stone quarry on the Frauenberger Weg is open to hobby searchers who can go fossil hunting on person. Searching for fossils with a hammer and chisel (hireable on the spot) becomes a thrilling experience for grown-ups and little ones.
About 500 m far from the museum you can find the remains of the Basilica of St. Sola (ca. 800 AD), one of the most ancient and important listed buildings in Southern Germany.
Guided tours of the museum take place every Wednesday at 10.00. From 13.30 they are followed by guided tours of the factory and the stone quarry with fossil hunting. Groups and classes can book any time additional guided tours with fossil hunting and enjoy a thrilling combination of "a guided visit of the museum and a treasure hunting" in the stone quarry. By appointment, it is also possible to take part in the "Fossil Experience Day" ("Erlebnistag Fossilien") with a full-day program.
During the summer, the museum and the stone quarry for hobby searchers are opened 7 days a week.
Costs
TICKETS
Adults: 5.00 €
Children: 3.50 €
Reduced (disabled persons, students, pensioners): 4.00 €
Groups of adults (from 10 persons on): 4.50 €/person
Groups of children (from 10 persons on): 3.20 €/person
Reduced for groups (from 10 person on): 3.50 €
Opening hours
April till October
9:00AM till 5:00PM
The Museum is opened all days from Palm Sunday.
Other opening hours for the museum upon agreement.
Parkmöglichkeit für Busse (50 m)
Lage
POSITION
In the town centre (Bahnhofstraße) at the city hall.
It lies directly on the bike trail Altmühlradweg, 100 m far from the VGN train station in Solnhofen.
Bus parking (50 m)
Parking in the Bahnhofstraße