Some museums in the world are really (really, really) famous, fantastic, and full of masterpieces from all over the world. And then you come across a teeny, tiny museum in small German towns like Ellerau that stay in your head like its more famous cousins.
Not bad for a town that had barely 600 people living in it prior to World War II, huh?
Now, I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that I don’t advocate spending all your time indoors in Germany. Heck no, but here in this tiny town up here in Schleswig-Holstein, you’ll find its museum so informative you won’t even notice that hours have gone by.
Its exhibits are snippets of time, an old schoolroom of desks and chalkboards; it is Ellerau’s wildlife (stuffed) that you’ll find in the region; and it’s educational on some of the industry that kept this 550+ year old town going.
Come see what a butcher, a carpenter, a locksmith, and shoemaker would’ve used way-back-when. There are even exhibits on what real living was like back in the day — you’ll see a traditional Living Room, a Kitchen, and even a Bedroom.
Darn, I think I lost a couple of hours just thinking about everything in Ellerau’s Heritage Museum. ;-)
You’ll find another couple of hours have gone by walking around the town itself. It’s a place with a variety of restaurants, offering everything from a steakhouse to Italian cuisine. It’s got a village church, a communal library, and even a theater.
Ellerau’s got a picturesque creek (the Krumbek) that’s a nice place to just take a leisurely stroll, if you’re so inclined.
Not to take anything away from nearby Hamburg (mere 23km south), or Quickborn and Norderstedt — but Ellerau’s a nice place to just hang around and learn something.
