Höhlenkundliches Museum

Speleological Museum


Useful Information

the museum with cave bear and karst model.
Location: A8 exit Merklingen, pass Merklingen and Machtolsheim, 7 km to Laichingen. Use second exit to Laichingen, turn right at the start of the city limits.
A8 exit Behelfsausfahrt, to Hohenstadt then to Laichingen, 7 km. From city center follow signs to the cave or direction Suppingen, turn left.
1 km SE Laichingen. (74,Ke58)
Open: Weekend before Easter-Oct daily 9-18.
Fee: free
Classification: SubterraneaCave and Karst Museum
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Höhlen- und Heimatverein Laichingen e.V., Höhleweg 220, 89146 Laichingen, Tel: +49-7333-5586. E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History

1958 speleologic division as a part of the Weberei- und Heimatmuseum in the church fortification buildings of Laichingen arranged.
1961 in the entrance building of the Laichinger Tiefenhöhle (Laichingen Vertical Cave).
1999 museum closed, building pulled down, creation of new exhibition started.
2001 exhibition on discovery, exploration and development of Laichingen Vertical Cave opened.
09-JUN-2002 inauguration of the new museum.

Description

the video auditorium shows a short movie produced for the museum.

The Speleological Museum always was a forerunner in Germany. The first speleological exhibition was made as early as 1958 and in 1961 an autonomous speleological museum was founded in the entrance building of the Laichingen Vertical Cave. It was the first of its kind in Germany, and for a long time it was the only one. With the recent renovation and the masive increase in size and content, it is the most comprehensive and modern speleological museum in Germany.

The museum is located in a big and bright room of the new built cave entrance. A visit is free, even without making a cave tour. It is interesting while you wait for your tour to start or if you wait for other members of your group.

the sediment model in the foreground and the cave biology in the background.

The Museum gives a general introduction into all topics of speleology and most recent topics of research, like cave sediments, which are used to reconstruct the history of climate. Beneath local specialties, like the novel Rulaman, which plays only a few Kilometers from Laichingen, or the explanation of the local geology, the museum also gives a general introduction into all aspects of cave science and exploration.

The museum was designed using state of the art technology, and thus has extraordinary exhibits and several possibilities for visitors to explore themselves. The most important exhibits are:

A exhibit on cave surveying allows the visitor to survey to another point and gather the necessary information by using the provided devices. The karst model gives more chance to explore by providing small electric torches. The visitor may search for the multiple details about caves and caving which are concealed in the model.

The video auditorium shos a short movie, which was produced exclusively for the museum, called Unter mir gilts nicht. Some children play a popular game called Verstecken, wher one child hides and the other try to find it. In the film, the playing children find some cavers coming out of a cave and ask them questions about caves and caving. In about 10 minutes the most important facts about caving are explained in an easy to understand way.