Domherrenhaus - Historisches Museum Verden

Description

In Verden (Aller), the Historisches Museum Domherrenhaus Verden presents the history of the town and its surroundings over roughly a thousand years. It is run by a non-profit association founded in 1919, which manages the collection.

The museum is located in the town centre near the cathedral in a Baroque courtyard complex. Since 1937 it has been housed in the former Domherrenhaus from 1708; the exhibition space covers about 900 m². These galleries exhibit objects of cultural history and ethnography relating to Verden’s past.

The permanent exhibition ranges from prehistoric times to the early 20th century. Of particular importance is the Lanze von Lehringen, a Neanderthal spear found in 1948 and part of the collection since 1955; associated with it are a few remains of the hunted animal—a European forest elephant. The prehistoric section on the ground floor was redesigned in 1998. There, dioramas, a hunting scene, a “speaking stone” and a “Stone Age” tent complement the presentation.

Also on the ground floor, a town model documents Verden’s appearance around 1663. The model illustrates the union of two formerly separate districts by decree of the Swedish Queen Christina: the Süderstadt, characterised by a southern-town character, and the Norderstadt to the north, which developed with merchants and craftsmen. A separate room is dedicated to local church history.

On the first floor, domestic and everyday culture of the 18th and 19th centuries are the focus, supplemented by toys, garrison history and the work environments of historical crafts. The 2018-established “Kostbarkeitenkammer” houses personal valuables. Also on display are a historic pharmacy and workshops ranging from the clog maker to the spinner. In the so-called Zinnfiguren-Kabinett there are around 400 models of a Verdener Zinngießerfamilie (Engels), whose moulds can produce everything from individual motifs to complex scenes.

The house also serves as a venue for the Verdener Standesamt: civil marriage ceremonies take place in an elegantly furnished early 20th-century room, the “Beckmann-Zimmer,” complete with a majolica stove and a playable grand piano.