After 800 years of eventful history, Dalheim Abbey has entered a new era. Today, it houses the Dalheim Abbey Foundation and the LWL State Museum of Monastic Culture—a museum unique in Germany. Significant and valuable exhibits are displayed within the almost completely preserved abbey complex, which has retained its impressive power and tranquility to this day.
The monastery and settlement are located on the western edge of the Eggegebirge mountains in a side valley of the Altenau River, surrounded by a landscape characterized by vast fields and extensive woodlands. Drawing on its own impressive history, the monastery invites visitors to discover the world of European monastic culture. And this includes not only “Ora et labora” (Latin: Pray and work), but also music and theater, food and drink, significant art treasures, as well as architecture, book art, and garden design. At the heart of the complex, approximately 3,000 square meters of exhibition space provide room for permanent and special exhibitions. Modern architectural elements, in harmony with the historic structure, create striking visual perspectives.
The permanent exhibition “Step Inside! 1,700 Years of Monastic History,” which won the “red dot” design award in 2011, illustrates what monastic culture means both yesterday and today. Arranged around the historic cloister, eleven rooms—from the church to the storeroom—offer a hands-on experience of how people lived, prayed, and worked in a medieval monastery. The historical and cultural contexts of monastic life are the focus of the extensive exhibition on the upper floor.
The Dalheim Monastery Foundation and the LWL State Museum of Monastic Culture also regularly host special exhibitions.
