Molfsee: Open-Air Museum and Cultural History

The Molfsee Open-Air Museum presents the everyday and cultural history of rural Schleswig-Holstein. Its grounds cover about 40 hectares. The collection explores this subject through historic buildings, their furnishings and examples of rural work.

Buildings, furnishings and rural everyday life

The museum groups its historic buildings by the regions they come from. This layout highlights differences in architecture, domestic culture, agriculture and rural trades. Farmhouses, cottages, barns and rural workshops are furnished with furniture, household items and tools. This lets visitors explore regional building styles alongside the domestic life and work reflected in the furnishings. A steam-powered dairy and three windmills are also part of the grounds.

In addition to the museum grounds, the Molfsee Open-Air Museum includes a historic fairground with two carousels, a swing boat and a high striker, as well as a large playground.

Cultural events and activities

The Kulturkate Molfsee hosts four to six cultural evenings each year in the Räucherkate next to the open-air museum. Themes and dates vary; check the latest information if an evening is important to your travel plans. The open-air museum also offers bookable guided tours and workshops. Availability and program details may change. If you plan to take part in a particular activity, check the details in advance.

Accessibility at the museum

The Jahr100Haus is largely accessible, while the open-air grounds and historic buildings have limited accessibility. Accessibility therefore varies by area. If you plan to visit specific areas, confirm the conditions before you arrive.

Nature and trails in the Eidertal valley

The open-air museum lies on the eastern edge of Westensee Nature Park. The Eidertal valley is a cultural landscape shaped by the Ice Age; around 350 hectares are maintained through extensive grazing.

Konik horses and Heck cattle can be seen from the Eidertal hiking trail. The trail is suitable for off-road cycling and has information boards, benches and shelters. Bus services and the Flintbek and Bordesholm railway stations provide public access along the Eidertal hiking trail. Check connections and timetables before setting out.

If a cultural event or a tour is a deciding factor, check dates or transport connections in advance.

Rendsburg-Eckernförde as the wider destination

The wider destination of Rendsburg-Eckernförde has 55 kilometers of Baltic Sea coastline and a signposted network of 1,000 kilometers of cycling routes. The district is home to four nature parks. The 180-kilometer Nature Park Hiking Trail passes through all four. Westensee-Obere Eider Nature Park is characterized by numerous lake complexes in the Schleswig-Holstein Uplands; it includes Westensee, covering around 7 km² and a popular day-trip destination. The banks of the Eider in Westensee-Obere Eider Nature Park provide habitat for kingfishers.

In good weather, the panoramic view from 98-meter-high Aschberg reaches as far as the Kiel Canal, Eckernförde Bay and the state capital, Kiel. The European long-distance path E1, marked along its entire route with a white St. Andrew’s cross, runs through the Hüttener Berge, Brekendorfer Wald and over Aschberg.

Discover more destinations: Klein Wittensee, Owschlag, Blumenthal, Jevenstedt, Eckernförde, Bokel, Nübbel, Hohner Harde

See the wider travel overview: Rendsburg-Eckernförde.