Südsauerland Museum

The region’s prehistory is also well represented: echinoderms, cephalopods, and sea lilies—in fossil form, of course—bear witness to a time when no human foot had yet trodden the Sauerland. Also worth seeing is the Westfalen Tin Figure Collection, a world full of colorful tin Lilliputians who reenact historical scenes in 22 dioramas.

The section on the regional history of the Duchy of Westfalen offers a fast-paced look at a land caught in the turmoil of its time. The “Rural Life” exhibit documents life on a 500-year-old estate near Kirchhundem. The section on “Folk Beliefs” shows that, in difficult times, people walked the often narrow path between faith and superstition, between devotion and sorcery. Castles and palaces in the Bigge and Lenna regions, along with aristocratic privileges such as hunting, illustrate aspects of aristocratic life.

The colorful and tradition-rich history of the city of Attendorn encompasses the themes of guilds and customs. Visitors leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind when they enter the exhibition section on monastic culture. Connections to the wider world were forged, among other things, through the Fraternity of St. Nicholas, from which Hanseatic merchants were recruited beginning in the 13th century. Church treasures showcase the fine art of gold and silversmithing from the Middle Ages through the 20th century. The tour concludes at the Westphalian Tin Figure Cabinet.

(Text: Südsauerlandmuseum)

The Südsauerland Museum is a destination along the >WasserEisenLand – Industrial Culture of Südwestfalen route and a must-see attraction .