The German Newspaper Museum gives Wadgassen a clear cultural focus: the history of the German press and printing. The permanent exhibition spans more than 400 years of newspaper history and also features historic printing technology and a fully equipped typesetting workshop. The focus is therefore not only on newspapers as finished media, but also on the craft and technology involved in producing them. Anyone interested in media history will find a concrete reason to include Wadgassen in their travel plans. The collection is permanent; temporary exhibitions and visitor arrangements may change.
For an overview of the subject, it is helpful to consider the themes as distinct points of entry. Newspaper history offers a look at the development and evolution of the press; historic printing technology adds the perspective of production, while the typesetting workshop highlights typesetting as a distinct part of the printing trade. Together, these aspects provide a clear focus for anyone who wants to explore media history through both its content and its production.
Getting around Wadgassen
The German Newspaper Museum is located at Abteihof 1 in Wadgassen. The Differten Wildlife Park can be reached at Am Hallenbad 1 in Wadgassen-Differten. These are two distinct destinations with separate addresses. Local listings and access arrangements may be updated, so check the information for your chosen destination before visiting.
Information on roads, parking and rail travel is available for getting to the Abteihof area: it can be reached from two exits on the A620, and parking is available nearby. Bous/Saar railway station is about one kilometre away. If the Abteihof is your destination, you can take this information into account when choosing how to travel. Road and rail arrangements may change, so check your route before setting out. When choosing accommodation, it may also be helpful to consider your planned route as a separate criterion.
Saarlouis as a distinct regional context
The wider destination of Saarlouis offers its own historical urban setting. Saarlouis was built as a fortified town in 1680 by Louis XIV; sections of the former fortifications have been preserved in a local recreation area. The Grand Market now serves as a car park and event venue. After extensive renovation and refurbishment, the Theater am Ring reopened in 2016. Together, these places illustrate different aspects of the town’s history: remnants of the fortifications, the present-day use of a square, and a theatre with a documented reopening.
The landscape and exhibitions offer further points of interest: Vauban Island provides views of the old Saar river loop and the fortifications, while the Stadtgarten and the old Saar river loop form Saarlouis’s green gateway. The Ludwig Gallery Saarlouis continues the exhibition programme and concept of the former museum in new exhibition spaces. For a visit focused on regional produce, consider the Saarlouis weekly market. It takes place on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the pedestrian zone in front of the Kommandantur and offers products from regional producers, among other things. Check the market times before your trip, as they may change.
More destinations
Discover more destinations: Ăśberherrn, Lebach, Wallerfangen, Nalbach, Saarlouis, Schmelz, Rehlingen-Siersburg, Schwalbach.
Go to the broader travel overview: Saarlouis.
