The Archaeological Museum in the late Gothic Herzogskasten provides a bridge to Kelheim's great Celtic past and its important Celtic town "Oppidum Alkimoennis". The exhibition also covers Kelheim's archaeology from the time of the Neanderthals to the early Middle Ages and includes an exhibition on the town's history. Thanks to the excavations in the area of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, a seamless continuity of settlement from the Neanderthals of the Altmühl Valley to the elevation of the town of Kelheim can be shown. The museum, which was awarded the special prize of the Council of Europe, houses 13 meters of original remains of the Celtic wall in the inner courtyard as well as a reconstruction of its original height.
The history of the Kelheim area is presented in eight islands of a showcase landscape. Original finds are supplemented by plans of the excavation findings, graphic reconstructions and models. Illustrations show how our ancestors hunted mammoths 80,000 years ago, made tools 20,000 years ago or cast bronze 3,500 years ago. The reconstruction of a burial chamber from Riedenburg-Haidhof shows the burial customs of 2600 years ago. Models of the first human houses and the huge town complex of the Celtic oppidum Alkimoennis on the Michelsberg, as well as the predecessor town of Kelheim at the time of Charlemagne, illustrate the gradual development up to the town of Kelheim.
The theme of the town's history is "Kelheim - town in the river". Built in the 13th century by the Wittelsbach dynasty directly in the flood plain, the location between the Danube and Altmühl determined the life of the town and its inhabitants. The town history section also shows where and what the people of Kelheim lived from, what trades they practiced and what they exported up until the 19th century.
In the idyllic courtyard of the late Gothic duke's castle, which was built in the 15th century for the payment of the tithe, 13 meters of original remains of the original 10-kilometre-long Celtic wall of the Oppidum Alkimoennis can be seen, as well as a reconstruction of its original height.
In 1983, the Kelheim Archaeological Museum was the only German museum to be awarded the 1982 Special Museum Prize by the Council of Europe, which emphasized the originality of the concept and the liveliness of the presentation. Constantly changing special exhibitions further enhance the museum's appeal.
Charging facilities for e-bikes available in the ticket office area of the museum.
Guided tours on request
April 01 to November 05 Tuesday to Sunday, public holidays: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Further appointments for groups possible by arrangement!
A warm invitation to the first virtual "International Museum Day"! You can see and hear pictures from the art workshop for people with disabilities as well as music from "d'Allerletzn". Enjoy the digital presentation of the topic "The museum for everyone - museums for diversity and inclusion".
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