Permanent exhibition

Wewelsburg Castle, a former castle of the prince-bishops of Paderborn, features a varied and modern permanent exhibition regarding the history of the Prince-Bishopric. The exhibition ranges from early settlements in the Paderborn region via the founding of the bishopric in early medieval times, the time of the reformation, and the Thirty Years’ War all the way to the end of the clerical territorial lordship of the bishops in 1802. Many aspects of cultural history are being illuminated across the centuries, including urban living, agriculture, and rural handicraft or religiousness. Furthermore, there are intriguing insights into the history of Earth as well as the landscape peculiarities of the Paderborn region. Except for two rooms, all areas of the museum are accessible by wheelchair. A comprehensive audio guide offer allows for tours in German, English, and Dutch, in “plain language”, as well as for children.

• A Long Time Ago, but Still so Close: Castles and Pre-industrial Life (Rooms 2, 5-7)
  
• Wewelsburg Castle (Rooms 8 and 9)
  
• A Journey through the History of the Prince-Bishopric of Paderborn (Room 10)
  
• The Clergy, Religiousness, and the Nobility (Rooms 11 and 12)
  
• The City and its Citizens (Rooms 13-15)
  
• The Land, Peasants and Farmers (Rooms 16-19, 22)
  
• Natural History (Rooms 20, 21 and 25)
  
• Social Outcasts and Mobility (Rooms 23, 24 and 26a)
  
• Security and Order (Rooms 3, 4 and 26b)
  
• Rural Handcraft and Pre-Industrial Production (Rooms 27-29)