Mettmann can be explored across different periods: the Neanderthal Museum covers seven million years of human history, while the City History House presents more than a thousand years of Mettmann’s history. Other highlights include the Romanesque Church of St. Lambertus, the Goldberg Mill and the Evolution Trail.
Exhibitions on Human and City History
The Neanderthal Museum is located at Talstraße 300, 40822 Mettmann. Its family-friendly exhibition covers seven million years of human history. This provides a broad timeframe for a visit, while the City History House focuses on Mettmann’s own history.
Visitors can learn about more than 1,000 years of Mettmann’s history across three floors at the City History House. This includes limestone quarrying in the Neander Valley around 1856 and the Neanderthal remains uncovered as a result. The quarrying and discoveries provide a specific connection to the Neander Valley within the broader city history presented at the house. When choosing what to visit, you can therefore distinguish between the broad subject of human history and the history of Mettmann.
Church, Mill and City Forest
The tower and baptismal font are the only parts of the Romanesque Church of St. Lambertus, built in the 12th century, that have survived to this day. These remnants complement the museum and exhibition topics with surviving elements of a historic church building.
The Goldberg Mill was first mentioned in 1450. It has an original milling mechanism that is to be preserved as a technical monument. The mill also serves as a venue for cultural events. Its historic significance and use as an event venue offer two different reasons to visit.
The mill is in the city forest, where you will also find Goldberg Pond and hiking trails. This makes it possible to consider cultural history and trails in the city forest as different aspects of Mettmann. If you would also like to include hiking trails alongside exhibitions and historic buildings, this area offers another point of interest to consider when planning your visit.
The Mettmann Evolution Trail
The Mettmann Evolution Trail connects the Neanderthal town of Mettmann with the Neanderthal Museum. It consists of a loosely arranged series of landmarks along the country road from Erkrath to Mettmann, through the valley of the Düssel and the Mettmanner Bach. Artistic design and surprising installations make the topics of evolution more accessible.
The Evolution Trail also includes a documentation and presentation project in central Mettmann, based on the “speaking city” concept. The topic thus includes both the series of landmarks along the country road and a project in the town centre. For planning your visit, this offers a different perspective from a single exhibition: the Evolution Trail connects several thematic elements with the Neanderthal Museum.
Getting to the Natural Outdoor Swimming Pool
You can reach the natural outdoor swimming pool by bus or by taking the S28 Regiobahn to the Goldberger Teich, Toni-Turek-Allee or Mettmann-Stadtwald stops. Walking paths lead from there to the pool. Plan for both the journey to one of the stops listed and the walk that follows. Check the timetable for your chosen connection before setting off.
The attractions have different focuses: exhibitions cover human and city history, the Evolution Trail connects landmarks with a project in the town centre, and the city forest has hiking trails.
Discover more destinations: Velbert, Wülfrath, Langenfeld, Haan, Heiligenhaus, Ratingen, Hilden, Erkrath.
Return to the main travel overview: Mettmann.
