Seeds and Spring Cleaning: Hessenpark Presents Its Program - Hessenpark's New Season Unveils Exhibits, Historic Rebuilds and Spring Festivities

Hessenpark in Neu-Anspach is preparing for a busy new season, starting on 1 March with a guided tour by the museum director. The open-air museum will host two major exhibitions, a rebuilt historic house, and a restored vintage gas station. Visitors can also look forward to farmers' markets, spring events, and theatrical tours.

The season begins with a public tour led by the museum's director. This kicks off a programme packed with activities, including eight farmers' markets and a plant fair. Themed guided tours and theatrical performances will also run throughout the spring.

Two new exhibitions will explore very different subjects. 'Heartbeats: Beginnings and Farewells' examines birth and death, featuring unusual items like jewellery made from breast milk and an 18th-century midwifery textbook. Meanwhile, 'Transport into the Unknown: Human Cargo' focuses on deportations during the Nazi era, using historical photographs and documents.

A house from Mademühlen in the Westerwald region will be rebuilt and displayed at the park. Its former residents gained fame in the 1950s after winning a large sum in a prize draw, an event covered by newspapers at the time. In June, a vintage gas station from Birstein will also open to visitors.

Visitor numbers at Hessenpark dipped slightly in 2025, with 209,775 people attending—a five percent drop from the previous year. The decline was linked to the absence of a major event. Over the past five years, however, the museum has seen strong growth, with annual visits rising by around 60 percent since 2021. Similar trends were observed at other open-air museums, such as Kommern and Bochum, where recovery from pandemic losses and increased tourism played a role.

The new season at Hessenpark offers a mix of history, culture, and community events. With exhibitions on life's beginnings and dark historical chapters, alongside restored buildings and seasonal markets, the museum aims to attract both returning and first-time visitors. The programme runs from March through the summer, with the vintage gas station set to open in June.