Location: Kanzleistr 1
Tel. +49 0921/ 51 1211
Open: 10am- 5pm Tue- Sun
10am- 5pm July August daily
Museum of Natural History is a small museum devoted to the history of biological diversity, geology and mineralogy of the region that is known as an Upper Franconia. It covers roughly last 500 million of years. The region switched several ecosystems in its long history. At some point it was a shallow tropical sea, tropical forest, cold tundra and finally lush mixed forests. It is one of the museum that might be interesting for children as well as adults. It offers many activities and can keep them occupied. Don't miss a scale model of a large dinosaur.
The Urwelt-Museum Oberfranken (Prehistoric World Museum of Upper
Franconia), often referred to in English as the Museum of Natural
History Bayreuth, is the city’s oldest museum and a regional institution
dedicated to the earth history of Upper Franconia (Oberfranken). It
specializes in paleontology (the history of life), geology (bedrock),
and mineralogy, showcasing how the region evolved over the last ~500
million years—from ancient tropical seas to ice-age landscapes. Today it
occupies the historic Lüchau-Haus at Kanzleistraße 1 in the city center
(about 600 m² of exhibition space), is operated by the City of Bayreuth,
and receives scientific supervision from the Staatliche
Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns (SNSB). It attracts over
20,000 visitors annually with permanent displays, interactive elements
(e.g., a walk-through gold crystal), outdoor dinosaur models, changing
exhibitions, workshops, and active research.
Founding and Early
Years (1832–1854)
The museum’s roots go back to 1832, when
Regierungspräsident Ferdinand von Andrian-Werburg issued a public call
to establish a regional Naturalienkabinet (natural-history cabinet) for
Upper Franconia. One of the first and most generous responses came from
Count Georg zu Münster, who donated ~14,000 specimens—primarily
fossils—as the core collection. This enabled the formal opening in 1833
of the Kreis-Naturalien-Cabinet inside the Bayreuth Kammerpräsidium
building. At launch it already held 19,209 fossils plus more than 3,000
minerals and rocks.
Early growth was modest and volunteer-driven. In
1841 the collection moved to the ground floor of the Neues Schloss (New
Palace). Caretakers included Regierungssekretär Metzer and later
Registraturgehilfe Rath, who maintained the specimens in their spare
time. In 1849 it relocated again to the Kreislandwirtschafts- und
Gewerbeschule (district agricultural and trade school). Karl Friedrich
Wilhelm Braun—already involved from the beginning and author of the
first catalogue—became the first official Custos (curator) in 1850 and
served until his death in 1854. After Braun, the cabinet largely
functioned as a school teaching collection and faded from public view.
Revival, Relocations, and Growth (1872–1964)
A major boost came
in 1872 with the acquisition of the extensive mineral collection of
Notar Käfferlein (Richard Wagner’s lawyer), which added worldwide
specimens and helped re-energize the holdings. Public access resumed in
1914 under Theodor Schneid, when the museum moved into the former
municipal branch bank on Friedrichstraße and was once again treated as a
scientific institution. Schneid continued oversight even after moving to
Bamberg.
After World War I the exhibits returned in 1924 to the
ground floor of the Neues Schloss; Schneid published the first museum
guide that same year. In 1934 the City of Bayreuth acquired the
important Frosch collection (on loan) and integrated it. Post-World War
II, Anton Kolb (from Bamberg) took over curation in 1955, enabling a
reopening in 1958. In 1964 the institution was officially renamed
Oberfränkisches Erdgeschichtliches Museum Bayreuth, reflecting its
regional geological focus.
Closure, Advocacy, and Rebirth as
Urwelt-Museum (1981–1998)
In 1981 the museum was forced to close when
the Bavarian government reclaimed exhibition space in the Neues Schloss.
The entire collection (then ~13,500 objects) was packed into sealed
boxes and stored at the University of Bayreuth, inaccessible to the
public. Strong local advocacy followed from the Naturwissenschaftliche
Gesellschaft Bayreuth, the university, regional collectors, and the SNSB
central administration, supported by the Regierungspräsidium Oberfranken
and the city. In 1990 the Bayreuth city council unanimously voted to
house the collection in the Lüchau-Haus once the Historisches Museum
moved out.
A decisive sponsorship agreement was signed in 1997: the
City of Bayreuth assumed operational responsibility (previously held by
Bezirk Oberfranken), while the SNSB provided scientific oversight. On 1
August 1998 the museum reopened in the Lüchau-Haus under its current
name Urwelt-Museum Oberfranken (sometimes styled Urwelt-Museum –
Oberfränkisches Erdgeschichtliches Museum Bayreuth). This marked its
165th anniversary and its integration into the SNSB’s network of five
regional museums. The 25-year anniversary in 2023 celebrated the
successful revival and ongoing growth.
Key Acquisitions and
Scientific Highlights
Throughout its history the museum has benefited
from strategic donations and purchases:
1832/33: Münster collection
(foundational 14,000+ fossils).
1872: Käfferlein mineral collection.
1924: Laubmann mineral collection.
1934: Frosch collection.
Ongoing since the 1990s: Fossils from the Lias “Urweltgrube” Mistelgau
excavation site (180-million-year-old marine reptiles, ichthyosaurs,
crocodiles, plesiosaurs, pterosaur tracks, ammonites, fish, insects, and
plant remains from the Hauptmann collection).
Today the collection
emphasizes Upper Franconian Triassic Muschelkalk saurians (including a
rare Capitosaurus arenaceus skull), Lias plant fossils, and regional
minerals. International research teams study the bones of fish-saurians
to reconstruct the ancient tropical sea environment.
Current
Status and Significance
Since 1998 the Urwelt-Museum has been a
vibrant public and research institution. Permanent exhibits guide
visitors through 500 million years of regional earth history via themed
rooms (e.g., “Drachenhöhle,” dinosaur garden, mineral gallery). It
offers guided tours, fossil-hunting workshops, ice-age programs, and
school partnerships. Outdoor life-size dinosaur models and rotating
special exhibitions (such as “Tiere der Eiszeit”) keep the program
fresh.
The Museum of Natural History in Bayreuth is the Urwelt-Museum
Oberfranken (Primeval World Museum Upper Franconia), located at
Kanzleistraße 1 in the city center (pedestrian zone). It is a regional
natural history museum operated by the city of Bayreuth, specializing in
the paleontology, geology, and mineralogy of Upper Franconia
(Oberfranken). The museum takes visitors on a journey through over 500
million years of the region's Earth history, from ancient tropical seas
and dinosaur-era landscapes to the Ice Age.
It stands out for its
strong focus on local finds, hands-on interactivity, and family-friendly
design (including a large dinosaur garden outside). A giant dinosaur
statue greets visitors at the entrance. Admission is affordable (around
€2–€3 for adults, with discounts for children/families), and it is open
Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–17:00 (plus Mondays in July–August).
Permanent Exhibitions (Dauerausstellung)
The core of the museum is
its permanent exhibition, which showcases original fossils, minerals,
rocks, and models from Upper Franconia while explaining broader
geological and biological processes. Exhibits are arranged thematically
across floors and rooms, with many interactive stations. The collection
draws heavily from 19th-century discoveries (some of the earliest
dinosaur finds in continental Europe came from the Bayreuth area) and
ongoing excavations, especially in the Mistelgau clay pit.
Key
sections and highlights include:
Oberfranken ist bunt (Upper
Franconia Is Colorful – Diversity of Rocks): This section displays
typical rocks from the region's varied landscapes (e.g.,
Schichtstufenland, Bruchschollenland, Frankenwald, Münchberger
Gneismasse, and Fichtelgebirge). It illustrates how these rocks have
shaped local architecture, townscapes, and industry over centuries.
Visitors see how geology directly influences human culture and the
environment.
Mineralien (Minerals): A highlight collection of
exquisite minerals and crystals from former mines and sites in the
Fichtelgebirge, Frankenwald, and Münchberger Gneismasse. These
"treasures of the old mountains" demonstrate the region's unique mineral
diversity, formed in deep geological processes. Many specimens are rare
and visually striking.
Goldwürfel (Gold Crystal / Walk-in Gold
Crystal): One of the most popular interactive features—a 3x3x3 meter
cube that visitors can enter. It simulates the atomic lattice structure
of a gold crystal, showing how ions bond at precise angles. This
hands-on exhibit makes abstract mineralogy tangible and fun for all
ages.
Momentaufnahmen der Erdgeschichte (Snapshots of Earth's
History): Located in the staircase, this ascending timeline takes you
from the Precambrian to the Quaternary. It features high-quality fossils
and rocks (many from around the world but contextualized to Upper
Franconia), providing a global-to-local overview of Earth's
4.6-billion-year evolution.
Zeitmaschine (Time Machine – Exciting
Journeys into Earth's History): An immersive multimedia show (about 20
minutes) that transports visitors through space and time. It vividly
depicts dramatic changes on the planet—volcanic eruptions, lush jungles,
glaciers, and more—while explaining what was happening where Bayreuth is
today. It combines visuals, narration, and effects for an engaging,
educational experience.
Fossil Finds from Local Excavations
(Mistelgau / Lias – Mistelgau): The museum highlights its own
paleontological work in the Mistelgau clay pit (ongoing since the
1990s). Star exhibits include numerous marine reptile fossils,
especially ichthyosaurs (e.g., Eurhinosaurus mistelgauensis, a newly
described species named after the site). Displays feature complete or
partial skeletons, skulls (such as large Temnodontosaurus), and
"belemnite battlefields" (seafloor scenes with squid-like remains).
These fossils reveal a tropical shallow sea that once covered Upper
Franconia in the Early Jurassic (Lias).
Muschelkalk Saurians
(Muschelkalk Dinosaurs / Marine Reptiles): The museum is world-renowned
for its Muschelkalk (Middle Triassic) finds—the first scientifically
documented "dinosaurs" (actually marine reptiles like Nothosaurus) from
continental Europe. The highlight is the holotype skeleton of
Nothosaurus mirabilis, newly prepared and mounted. Other specimens
include Capitosaurus skulls and early saurian remains from a time when
the region was a coastal environment. These were once mistaken for
dragon bones.
Drachenkeller (Dragon Cellar): A thematic room linking
mythology to science. Large dinosaur and cave bear bones were
historically interpreted as evidence of dragons. The exhibit explores
this cultural history alongside real fossils.
Quartär (Quaternary /
Ice Age Section): Features reconstructions of Ice Age animals (e.g.,
cave bears and cave lions hibernating in a Franconian Switzerland-style
cave setting). It covers the most recent geological period and local
megafauna.
Hauptmann Collection: A dedicated display of specimens
from the lifelong work of local collectors Traute and Sepp Hauptmann,
adding depth to the regional fossil record.
Outside in the
Dinosauriergarten (Dinosaur Garden), visitors can walk among life-sized
models of dinosaurs (some up to 15 meters tall), bringing the
prehistoric world to life in an open-air setting.
The permanent
exhibition emphasizes interactivity (touching fossils where allowed,
hands-on stations, and the sandpit/scientific digging area) and uses
clear bilingual labeling to explain complex topics accessibly.
Current Special Exhibition: Dinos. Drachen. Drama.
Running since late
February 2026 (opened 27.02.2026) in cooperation with the City of
Bayreuth's Cultural Office as part of the "Festival150" celebrations
(tied to Richard Wagner's legacy and the Bayreuth Festival).
This
temporary show explores the fascinating link between real
dinosaurs/fossils and mythical dragons. It covers:
How ancient
fossils inspired dragon legends in European folklore.
The evolution
of "dragon" concepts from medieval myths to modern fantasy.
Connections to art, opera (including Wagner's Siegfried), and popular
culture.
Original historical illustrations, exceptional fossils from
the museum's collection, and storytelling that blends science and
imagination.
It is designed to be engaging and thought-provoking,
appealing to both paleontology enthusiasts and fans of
mythology/fantasy. (As of March 2026, it is the featured special
exhibition; check the museum site for exact end date.)
Overall
Visitor Experience and Themes
The museum excels at making deep-time
science approachable and exciting. Themes weave together geological
forces (rocks/minerals shaping the landscape), paleontological
discoveries (local "primeval sea" reptiles and early saurians), and
cultural connections (myths vs. science, human impact on the
environment). Many areas encourage exploration—climbing into the
crystal, watching the time machine, or examining touchable
specimens—making it ideal for families, school groups, and adults
interested in natural history.
The collection is regionally focused
but uses global context to tell a bigger story. Ongoing research (e.g.,
new ichthyosaur descriptions) keeps the displays fresh.
Note on the
other Bayreuth natural history site: There is also the smaller
Naturkundemuseum und Kinder-Museum Lindenhof (run by the Landesbund für
Vogelschutz), which focuses on modern ecology—local habitats of northern
Bavaria, landscape changes by humans, species protection, and hands-on
forest experiences for children. It is more environmental
education-oriented than the fossil-heavy Urwelt-Museum and is not
typically called the "Museum of Natural History." If your query refers
to that one instead, let me know for details.