LWL-Museum Hellerlecht

On the edge of Detmold stands a whole village that never existed in this form: half-timbered houses, a church, a school and a fire station from the Paderborn region, taken down piece by piece and rebuilt here. The LWL-Museum Hellerlecht, known until July 2026 as the LWL Open-Air Museum Detmold, shows around 120 historic buildings on 90 hectares, which by its own account makes it the largest open-air museum in Germany. Old Westphalian livestock breeds graze between the farms, and a horse-drawn carriage shuttles across the site.

History: from farm museum to state museum

On 22 July 1960 the Westphalia-Lippe regional association decided to found an open-air museum on the Königsberg between Detmold and Heiligenkirchen. It opened on 7 July 1971 with its first five farmsteads. The museum has grown ever since: the Paderborn Village arrived in 1981, the Sauerland Village showing 1918 to 1930 in 1997, and in 2013 even a 1960s petrol station. Since 1985 the museum has also cared for historic landscapes and endangered breeds.

With its new entrance and exhibition building, the Forum, the museum switched to year-round opening in 2026. Because not the whole site is an open-air museum any more, the LWL decided in 2025 on the new name LWL-Museum Hellerlecht, Westphalian State Museum of Culture and History.

What to see

• Paderborn Village: With around 70 buildings it is the largest group. Farmhouses of farmers, craftsmen and day labourers cluster around the church and village pond, along with a rectory, school and fire station. The model is the tightly packed villages of the Höxter district around 1900.
• Gate inscriptions: Many timber-framed houses carry pious sayings, builders' names and dates above the gate or in the gable, such as the townsman's farmhouse from Gütersloh dated 1730 with its Rococo door.
• Oldest piece: A 12th-century well shaft found in 1981 near Schieder and moved to the museum in one piece.
• Sauerland Village and Siegerland hamlet: Here you step into the 20th century, including a petrol station from Siegen-Niederschelden.
• Lookout tower: The 14.2-metre wooden tower at the highest point of the site was built in 2017 to a historic design.
• Animals: The museum helped save the Lippe goose and the Bentheim sheep from extinction, and has bred Senne horses since 2001.

Opening hours and admission (as of October 2026)

• Open-air site: seasonal; in 2026 from 28 March to 31 October. The Forum with its exhibition is open all year.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday and all public holidays 9:00–18:00, last entry 17:00. Closed 1 January and 24 and 31 December.
• Admission: adults €12 in the open-air season, €8 in winter. Under-18s free.
• Free admission in 2026 still on 6 November.
• Carriage: between the entrance and the Paderborn Village, about 20 minutes, roughly every 30 minutes, adults €4, children €2, cash only.

Visiting and timing

Allow at least half a day. The walk from the entrance to the Paderborn Village alone is about two kilometres. There are four places to eat, including inns in the Paderborn and Sauerland villages. Dogs are welcome on a short lead but not inside buildings or gardens. Bikes and scooters are not allowed on site.

Parking at the entrance is free, with an overflow car park on Friedrich-Ebert-Straße when busy. By bus, take line 701 or 782 from Detmold station to "Friedenstal". The Hermannsdenkmal is only a few kilometres away and fits easily into the same day.

Tripto tip

Take the carriage out to the Paderborn Village and walk back. That way you save the two kilometres on the way out and have time for the farmsteads along the path on the way back.