At Marta Herford, art, design and architecture come together under one roof. Herford and the district of Herford offer a variety of discoveries: regional history, Baroque courtyard architecture, geological features, and trails with clearly described routes or stops. You can focus on museums or choose individual places and routes according to their particular themes.

Art, Museums and Changing Views of History

Marta Herford was designed by architect Frank Gehry. The museum brings together art, design and architecture, and offers exhibitions, events and museum education programs for visitors of all ages. This puts both the design of the building and the themes explored inside it in focus. Three museums are housed under one roof at the Bünde Museum. They provide information about geology, tobacco and the history of the region; interactive information media include listening and smelling stations. The Widukind Museum in Enger takes a different approach: its journey through the centuries explores how perceptions of Widukind have changed. The museums thus offer different ways in – from geological and regional history topics to changing interpretations of a historical figure.

Baroque Estate and History on the Weser

Gut Hiddenhausen is one of the few fully preserved and unaltered Baroque estates in East Westphalia-Lippe. Vlotho Castle, in turn, points to the importance of the town on the Weser: Heinrich von Oldenburg had it built around 1250 on Deesberg, now known as Amtshausberg. It served to control the Weser and the trade routes that converged in Vlotho. From the castle wall, you can look out over the Weser Valley.

Routes to the castle ruins are also described: you can reach them by car or e-bike; on foot, paths through the castle forest or along the Apothekerweg lead there. Check local trail conditions before your visit. This combines historical context about the castle with practical directions to the viewpoint, without treating the different access options as equivalent.

Geological Landmarks and Landscape

The Doberg in Bünde is recognized as one of the internationally valid geological reference points for the Chattian. The Hücker Moor has a different story of its origins: it includes a moor lake of around twelve hectares, formed by peat cutting at the end of the 18th century. Both places draw attention to geological contexts, but from different perspectives – one is a recognized reference point, while the other is a lake whose origins lie in peat extraction.

For a route with a specified length, try the A loop of the nature discovery trail in Rödinghausen. It is around 2,000 meters long and accessible. The Hansaweg starts at Herford station, initially follows the Werre and then climbs to the Bismarck Tower, with scenic views along the way. The Wittekindsroute covers a much larger area: its total length of 143 kilometers takes it through Herford, Bad Salzuflen, Vlotho, Löhne, Kirchlengern, Bünde, Rödinghausen, Spenge and Enger. Its 24 stops tell stories about the region’s development.

Practical Information

To get to H2O Herford, take regional bus route 433 from Herford station or city bus route S3 from the Old Market to the Freizeitbad H2O stop. Bus services may change, so check the connection before setting out. The same applies to Vlotho Castle: the access routes differ depending on your mode of transport, and you should check local trail conditions on site.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Vlotho, Sundern, Löhne, Herford, Bünde, Hiddenhausen, Rödinghausen, Enger, Kirchlengern, Spenge.

Go to the main travel overview: North Rhine-Westphalia.