Hessenpark, Open-air museum in Neu-Anspach, Germany
Hessenpark is an open-air museum in Neu-Anspach, Hesse, covering 65 hectares with more than 120 half-timbered buildings from rural Hesse. The site lies in the Erlenbach valley between 360 and 400 metres above sea level, with buildings arranged in regional groups such as Mittelhessen and Nordhessen. Two windmills from northern Germany and a water mill with a hammer forge stand among the structures.
The Hesse state government under Minister-President Albert Osswald founded the museum in 1974 and laid its foundation stone that year. It was officially opened in 1978 by Minister-President Holger Börner. Eugen Ernst was the first director and a key initiator. Since 2004 the Hesse Clockmakers' School has been housed on the site.
Visitors watch craftspeople practising old techniques such as basket weaving, metalworking, bread baking and beekeeping in the workshops. These demonstrations show how rural communities once worked and supported daily life.
The site opens from March to November between 09:00 and 18:00, and during winter from November to March between 10:00 and 17:00. Sturdy shoes help on the pathways, and indoor spaces offer shelter if rain arrives.
Each building undergoes complete dismantling at its original site before being rebuilt piece by piece on the museum grounds. Every part receives a number so that it lands exactly where it belongs.
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