The Museum is Growing...

Next to the house from Abtsbessingen, the two small craftsmen’s houses from the Rhön are now in place. The northern house is the older one, built in 1868. The southern building dates from 1893 and was already remodeled and extended in 1906.

Both small houses were originally part of a row of houses built in the 19th century on the western edge of the village of Empfertshausen. They were built by landless residents who made their living as craftsmen or day laborers.

Now that both houses have arrived safely at their new location, many restoration tasks still need to be carried out before they can be opened to museum visitors. For example, new windows have to be made and plaster damage repaired. At the moment, the museum’s craftsmen are working on reconstructing the annex.

Once the restoration work is completed, the houses will tell the story of how a multi-generational family lived in Empfertshausen around 1960.

 

In spring 2024, construction of the new information and exhibition center at the Thuringian Open-Air Museum Hohenfelden began. The shell of the building is now complete, and the exterior has been finished. Work is currently underway on the interior. Behind the scenes, details for the new entrance building are already being planned. In addition, a new well has been drilled to supply the building with water in the future.

The new building will house a small tourist information office, a museum shop with regional products and souvenirs, and a special exhibition area.

The pictures below show the east side of the new entrance building and the future museum shop in July 2025.