Guided tours in the South Sauerland Museum

Town in the Middle Ages. Life in old Attendorn

Great movies like the recent "The Medicus" by Noah Gordon give us an idea of life in the Middle Ages. But what was it like here in the Sauerland, in Attendorn? Attendorn has had town privileges since 1222. What was special about it and who lived in the town? What special buildings were there and how has the town changed to this day? Was it really as dirty and dreary as it is portrayed in many Hollywood films? On a tour through the collection of the South Sauerland Museum, various exhibits are presented that illustrate work and everyday life in the Middle Ages. Comparative material and practical work illustrate the topic for children and adults alike.

Knights and castles in the Sauerland

What castles are there in the Sauerland, when were they built, what functions did they have and what was everyday life like at the castle? With the change in political structures and the loss of their military function from the early modern period onwards, castles lost their significance. Many were abandoned and today only remain as ruins, some have been converted. A tour of the collection uses castle models, weapons and everyday utensils, especially from Waldenburg and Burg Schnellenberg castles, to illustrate life in a castle.

Reading and writing, today and in the past

The guided tour takes a vivid look at the modern media we use to read and write today and the Middle Ages. Various materials such as papyrus, parchment, writing tablets etc. are presented, which were used to produce books in antiquity and the Middle Ages. On a tour of the museum, visitors can discover a wide variety of artworks depicting readers and writers from different centuries, as well as early modern cradle prints, document texts and leather-bound books from the Baroque period. Questions such as: Who could read in the Middle Ages? Where were books kept? How long did it take to produce a book? When were the first books printed? And much more.

"Well protected" - headgear in the past and today

There are many different types of headgear: Some are only worn by men, some only by women. Some head coverings have a protective function, some are a sign of religious or professional status. Starting with modern headgear, we take a walk through the collection of the South Sauerland Museum in search of historical headgear and learn a lot about its function and the significance of the wearer.

Welcome to the Ice Age (guided tour for children and families)

When was the last ice age and what did it mean for humans and animals? What was life like 40,000 years ago in the Sauerland and what strategies and inventions helped people survive in the cold climate and prevail against cave bears, mammoths and sabre-toothed tigers?

Signs and symbols

We are surrounded by signs and symbols in our everyday lives: company logos, road signs, toilet signs, escape routes and much more that we put into context and understand. Fast, non-written communication was much more pronounced in the Middle Ages than it is today, as only a few people could read and write texts back then. However, people were skilled at reading images. Content was conveyed through signs and symbols: Gestures, clothing, objects and colors on paintings, sculptures and handicrafts still reveal their meaning and function today. To find this out, participants blindly pull various objects out of a basket during the tour. Each person considers which exhibit the object could belong to. They then discuss what can be recognized and "read" about the artwork.

(Text: South Sauerland Museum)