Bielefeld: Nature, Knowledge and Industrial Heritage

Bielefeld offers a range of reasons to visit: wildlife and plant life, trails through forests and recreation areas, and museums covering subjects from geology to the history of the textile industry. When planning your trip, consider what interests you most. This will help you combine nature, exercise and culture to suit your travel dates and focus your hotel search on what matters to you.

Discover nature: zoo, garden and trails

Around 450 animals live at Heimat-Tierpark Olderdissen: 35 mammal species, 42 bird species and three fish species. Animal populations and figures may change. The grounds cover about 16 hectares and are located in the heart of the Teutoburg Forest. More than 3,000 different plant species grow across just over four hectares at the Botanical Garden; this number of species may also change. The garden was laid out in 1912. At its centre stands a typical Westphalian half-timbered house dating from 1823—a distinctive feature of the garden.

The roughly 310-hectare Obersee/Johannisbachtal recreation area offers a different mix of outdoor activities and leisure facilities. It has walking and cycling paths, restaurants, a miniature golf course and playgrounds. The Oberes Luttertal nature trail offers a more focused experience: along just under 600 metres, six information boards provide insights into the history and individual habitats of this section of the Bielefeld valley. The trail is considered one of the first nature trails of its kind in Germany. You can choose between an extensive recreation area and a short, topic-focused trail.

Museums and city history

The Ravensberger Park brings industrial history to life. Its park grounds were established in 1855 as the factory site of Ravensberger Spinnerei and designated a listed monument in 1972 following public efforts. Today, the park is a place for culture, the history of the textile industry, leisure and recreation; concerts, trade fairs and cultural festivals are held there regularly. The Museum Huelsmann is housed in the former director’s villa of Ravensberger Spinnerei. In addition to its permanent collection, it hosts up to two special exhibitions a year. The museum can be reached on bus routes 21, 22 and 29 from Jahnplatz to the “Ravensberger Park” stop. Check the current timetable before travelling.

Other museums offer different ways to explore history. Bielefeld’s Natural History Museum is located in Spiegelshof, a manor house dating from 1540. The Bielefeld Farmhouse Museum comprises nine historic buildings and a permanent exhibition on rural life 150 years ago. You can also discover historic crops there, including Egyptian walking onions, runner and bush beans, and flax.

Get involved and understand the connections

The History Museum’s participatory “Young Museum” area is for families, school classes, children and young people. At the namu Geo-Tunnel, interactive exhibits focus on the region’s geological processes, plate tectonics and earthquakes around the world. Wissenswerkstadt Bielefeld features hands-on exhibitions that visitors can join in spontaneously. Its partners include Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences (HSBI), Bielefeld University and Welthaus Bielefeld. These activities offer different perspectives, from shaping things together and learning about natural history to exploring broader geological connections.

Plan cycling and hiking

The recreational cycling network in and around Bielefeld comprises ten routes covering more than 280 kilometres in total; route distances may be revised. The Teutoburg Forest and the Hermannsweg are among Bielefeld’s tourist hiking options. An information-board trail for a short walk and a longer cycling or hiking tour offer different ways to spend time outdoors. So decide in advance whether you would prefer to visit a single attraction or set aside a larger part of your trip for exercise.

Compare the address of a specific hotel with the places you want to visit, and choose accommodation that suits your planned stay.

Discover more destinations: Bielefeld, Eckardtsheim, Ruhr Area, Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis, Warendorf, Kreis Neuss, Kleve, Hochsauerlandkreis

Go to the main travel overview: North Rhine-Westphalia.