After 800 years of an eventful past, Dalheim Abbey has entered a new era in its history. Today it is home to the Dalheim Monastery Foundation. LWL-Landesmuseum für Klosterkultur, a unique museum in Germany. Significant and valuable exhibits are housed within the almost completely preserved monastery complex, which has retained its impressive power and tranquillity to this day.
The monastery and settlement are located on the western edge of the Eggegebirge mountains in a side valley of the Altenau, surrounded by a landscape characterized by wide fields and extensive wooded areas. Based on its own impressive history, the house invites visitors to discover the world of European monastic culture. And this includes not only "Ora et labora" (Latin for "pray and work"), but also music and theater, food and drink, important art treasures, architecture, books and garden art. In the center of the complex, around 3,000 square meters of exhibition space offer room for permanent and special exhibitions. Modern architectural installations interact with the historical building fabric to create impressive perspectives.
The permanent exhibition "Entered! 1,700 years of monastery history", which was awarded the "red dot" design prize in 2011. Eleven rooms around the historic cloister, from the church to the storage cellar, allow visitors to experience how people lived, prayed and worked in a medieval monastery. The historical and cultural background to the phenomenon of the monastery is the subject of the extensive exhibition on the upper floor.
The Dalheim Monastery Foundation is a regular visitor. LWL-Landesmuseum für Klosterkultur is also the venue for special exhibitions.
