Altkirchen offers two very different things to enjoy during a stay: village history at the village museum and time for a swim at the outdoor pool. The museum covers everything from rural everyday life and village crafts to natural history; the pool focuses on swimming and play. The details below will help you get a sense of what each has to offer during your visit.
Altkirchen Village Museum: Village History and Natural History
Altkirchen Village Museum has five exhibition rooms with more than 2,000 exhibits across around 300 m² of exhibition space. The permanent exhibition occupies four rooms. Information panels and historical objects offer insights into the origins of the villages. Exhibits include agricultural implements, tools used by local village craftspeople and furnishings from a rural household. Altenburg peasant costume is also represented, including a bride’s richly decorated headdress. The collection thus brings together tools and everyday objects, clothing and rural traditions.
The fifth room houses a natural history cabinet, offering a glimpse of the flora and fauna of the surrounding area. Exhibits on display there include core samples and the “Göllnitz Wonder Tree.” The natural history cabinet thus complements the permanent exhibition with a look at the nature of the area. If you would like to visit the museum, you can do so by arranging an appointment in advance with Thomas Brand on 0152-09418489.
Altkirchen Outdoor Pool: Swimming, Play and Sunbathing Lawn
The outdoor pool offers activities for different interests. Active swimmers can enjoy a 50-metre sports pool. The separate non-swimmer area has a children’s slide and a range of play facilities. The areas clearly distinguish between sports swimming and playing in the water.
The facilities also include a well-maintained lawn for sunbathing and picnics, a beach volleyball court, table tennis tables, a kiosk and an adjacent playground. Visitors can use the outdoor pool from May to September. Check the latest operating information before planning a day at the pool.
Schmölln: Button-Making History and More to Discover
In Schmölln, the Button and Regional Museum offers a different focus. The museum explores the eventful history of Schmölln’s button-making industry, in which buttons made from tagua nuts played a particularly important role. Exhibits include raw materials used in button production, equipment and historic machinery. Families and children can use an audio guide, and the museum also offers workshops for children and young people. Guided tours of the permanent exhibition are available by appointment. Arrange tour and workshop dates in advance when planning your visit.
Schmölln’s St. Nikolai Town Church also offers a historical point of interest: it was built in the 15th century. The market square is one of the largest market complexes in Central Germany. For outdoor activities, Schmölln is also home to the Sprotte Water Adventure Trail. It runs along the Sprotte from Posterstein Castle to Schmölln and is nine kilometres long. Twelve interactive stations and activities—including a mill-themed playground, bridges and fords, the Weidendorf and a Kneipp trail—invite younger visitors in particular to play and explore. The trail has only gentle inclines and is especially suitable for families; check the latest route information before setting out.
Discover more destinations: Löbichau, Pleißenaue, Nobitz, Meuselwitz, Fockendorf, Burkersdorf, Gößnitz, Rositz.
To the main travel overview: Altenburger Land.
