Francke Foundations, Educational foundation and museum in Halle, Germany
The Francke Foundations occupy a sprawling site with buildings from different periods, housing schools, kindergartens, museums, and research centers. The complex shows how a former orphanage expanded into a multifaceted educational space where teaching happens today alongside visitor exploration.
Founded in 1695 by August Hermann Francke, this place began as a school for poor and orphaned children who received education and care. From this starting point, a network of educational institutions grew that shaped thinking about schooling and social welfare across the centuries.
The Cabinet of Artefacts preserves thousands of objects arranged as they were in earlier centuries, showing how collectors once organized their discoveries. Walking through these rooms, you see shells, coins, and exotic items displayed in their original order.
Some buildings have wheelchair access while others include stairs that may limit movement through certain areas. Keep in mind that parts of the site remain active schools and daycare centers where daily teaching and care routines happen.
The site holds a Cabinet of Natural Specimens that has remained largely unchanged since the 1700s, displaying collections as they were arranged centuries ago. This arrangement offers visitors a rare glimpse into how people once presented their understanding of the natural world.
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