Founded back in 1835, the Lippisches Landesmuseum in Detmold now has an extensive collection of cultural artefacts from the Lippe region and many parts of the world. The selection of exhibits in the largest and oldest regional museum in East Westphalia ranges from finds from the Stone Age to historical toys, furniture and clothing to valuable oil paintings.
Early on in the 19th century, the people of Lippe were drawn out into the world. The rapid development of natural and cultural sciences aroused people's interest in other countries and other cultures. They went on journeys and brought the world to Lippe. Merchants, military personnel and diplomats from all over the world returned home with gifts and souvenirs, and unique collections were created which soon turned the Natural History Museum, founded in 1835, into a "House of World Cultures". Today, the Lippisches Landesmuseum has a collection of international standing.
Historical maps and records
If they want to discover all the treasures of the region's largest regional museum, visitors need to bring time with them. This is because the museum's collection opposite the castle of the Princes of Lippe is huge, even beyond the ethnological collection. On a tour of the 3,200 square meters of exhibition space, visitors have a free choice. While guests interested in regional history are immersed in historical maps and records, others are drawn straight to the Stone Age or get to the bottom of the myth of the Varus Battle. The special gems in the fashion section include the first shoes worn by Prince Leopold of Lippe and a Renaissance court dress worn by Countess Katharina zur Lippe.
In the natural history house, visitors can explore the local forest and the exotic animal world of the savannahs, rainforests and polar regions at interactive modules and stations. Numerous fossils, mighty antlers and bones also provide a deep insight into the history of the earth.
What is still missing is domestic culture and art. There is also much to discover in these areas at the Lippisches Landesmuseum Detmold. The Kornhaus houses, among other things, a fully furnished hall of a cottager's house, typical period rooms of wealthy citizens and aristocrats as well as a large art collection with works from the Baroque period to the present day. A visit to the Lippisches Landesmuseum is hardly enough.
