Naturkundemuseum

Description

The Naturkundemuseum Gerolstein presents the natural and geoscientific heritage of the Eifel and is located in the historic town centre of Gerolstein in the Vulkaneifel district, Rhineland‑Palatinate, directly below the Löwenburg.

Early regional geological collections were already formed in 1903 in a Gerolstein hotel; these holdings were lost in a bombing raid in 1944. After extensive renovations and conversions, the Old Town Hall — whose core dates from 1710 and which was rebuilt after 1949 — was opened as a museum in 1987.

The exhibition places an emphasis on volcanism and mineralogy. It explains the four developmental phases of the Eifel volcanoes: the maar stage, the Strombolian phase, the effusive phase and the mofette stage. Various forms of Eifel basalt are on show, as well as lava‑glazed sandstones and numerous xenoliths. Among them are olivine‑rich peridotites from the upper mantle and rare carbonatites.

The palaeontology section presents fossils from the Gerolsteiner Kalkmulde. On display are trilobites from the Geeser localities, where more than 40 species have been documented over the decades, as well as rare Devonian crinoids. The collection is complemented by snails, cephalopods, bryozoans, stromatoporoids, some Devonian fishes and psilophytes. A cast and a reconstruction of Eifelosaurus triadicus, discovered in Oberbettingen in 1904, form a particular centrepiece. Further exhibits show invertebrates such as corals, brachiopods and bivalves; especially striking are Calceola sandalina and Pleurodictium problematicum.

The interactive forest section, opened in 1994 in the attic, covers about 60 m². Visitors find regional timber species, typical soil profiles and a dismantlable model of the Gerolsteiner Mulde, which provides insight into the structure of the geological layers.

Archaeological finds from the Archäologischer Verein Gerolstein complement the offering. Exhibited are hand axes made from Kyll quartz gravel, hammerstones and other Neanderthal tools, a reconstructed Buchenloch cave with evidence of the find context, raw flints of various origin as well as Stone Age arrowheads and polished axes. Medieval finds and a reconstruction of the old town centre are also shown.

The extensive insect collection comprises 45 large display cases, mainly with butterflies and including some moths and beetles from Germany and abroad, gathered over decades on trips and excursions. More than 400 recorded species of native butterflies from the Eifel point to an unusually high biodiversity for Germany.

The Naturkundemuseum Gerolstein is listed in the register of cultural monuments in Gerolstein.