Naturhistorisches Museum Schloss Bertholdsburg
Burgstr. 6
98553 Schleusingen
Germany
Phone: 011 49 36841 5310
Fax: 011 49 36841 531225

Tuesday to Friday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Monday: closed

Click at: "Short English version" to see more information

The castle "Bertholdsburg" which dominates Schleusingen is one of the major attractions of the Hildburghausen Region. It was erected in medieval times between 1223 and 1232.
I had no problem finding a free parking spot very close to the entrance and compared to the "Wartburg", no mountain climbing was necessary.
The picture on the right side was not taken by me. I did not have the time and money to wait for a weather change. But the castle always looks great - even when it is raining or snowing. I can confirm that!
The castle got its name from Earl Bertold VII von Henneberg. His successors made many changes in order to suit their needs.
Finally, after WW II, the castle little by little became an attraction for the public. Hard work from many volunteers was needed to accomplish this task.

Today, the castle represents its condition in around 1550.
I visited it twice during my trip in January 2004 and I could not see many other visitors then. This certainly will change in high season or on weekends.
The castle is not only an attraction by itself. It is also a museum and it hosts several exhibitions.
The most attractive one is certainly the part which is called "the Museum of Natural History" which was established in 1984. It includes many collections and displays.
Whoever is interested in the geological and biological history of our earth, and especially of this region, should reserve enough time just for a visit of this section. Don't hesitate to come when you have your children with you. I am sure they will enjoy the scenes of dinosaurs and other creatures who dominated life on earth many, many years ago.
Experience together with them a journey through 300 million years of the past. Learn how lakes, rivers, forests and swamps changed over the years.
You also can spend days in the speciality libraries which contain many books printed centuries ago.
Thuringia is so rich on hidden treasures. We can only give you a little overview. Our web site can never replace an actual visit. There is always something to do and to see and you do not have to depend on perfect weather conditions.
I enjoyed my trip in the "nasty" season.

Imagine to see the surroundings in summer! But bad weather and low temperatures are no excuse for not spending hours in the castle and browsing through all the exhibitions.
Unfortunately, all explanations are written only in German. I already, pointed out that this must be changed, and at least English text should be added. I hope that my advise is being considered by the responsible people. I believe that visitors from all over the world will enjoy the "Berchtoldsburg".
The museum also organizes interesting events all year long. They include special guided tours, presentations, concerts and special exhibitions. If you are interested, please use the above contact information. Please use preferably e-mail or fax, because not everybody who picks up the phone speaks English.

You can easily spend a whole day in the museum, but plan at least a few hours for the visit.
Because it is an old building, use the washrooms close to the entrance before you start your tour. There are none on the upper floors, not even those which were used in medieval times.
The picture on the right side is from a temporary exhibition in which local children were allowed to show their artwork.
I think this is a much better way than the graffiti which you find everywhere and which is, in most cases, nothing more than damage of property. However, the German government is obviously not able to recognize this fact and is discussing the creation of a new law to do something about this. So far, these discussions are nothing more than a lousy excuse for not achieving anything.

There is so much to see, and the idea of the self-guided tours where everything is explained on boards is great - as long as you understand German.
But even without that, the visual impressions are unforgettable. It is amazing to see how the landscape and climate changed over millions of years, and I believe it is still changing.
I saw animals which were completely unknown to me. Have you ever heard about giant centipedes which were around 2.5 meter (over 8 feet) long?
You must visit the museum yourself. We do not want to replace the excitement of an actual tour with all these treasures with our web site.
If you have children with you, explain to them what you see and eventually they become interested. Check for some brochures in English and take many pictures - but get the permission first! Every museum needs funding badly.