From Bauhaus to Beuys
For those seeking a place to broaden their horizons, find inspiration, and deepen their understanding, the Hildesheim region offers several highlights that are simply must-sees. Architecture enthusiasts will find themselves immersed in the Fagus Factory in Alfeld, nestled in the beautiful Leinebergland hills. Designed by Walter Gropius, it's a true monument of modern architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the still-active factory grounds, visitors can delve into the world of ideas of the Bauhaus founder, which permeates the production halls, facades, and towers, as well as the fascinating history of shoe last production, for which the traditional company remains world-renowned. And amidst the forests, fields, and fishing ponds of the municipality of Holle, the idyllic Derneburg Castle Art Museum awaits, one of the largest museums of contemporary art in Lower Saxony and beyond. There, you'll find a variety of rotating exhibitions, ranging from painting and sculpture to video and photography, as well as installation and media art from the Hall Art Foundation.
The Hildesheim region owes its popular spa town of Bad Salzdetfurth to a vital mineral – salt. There, the Mining and Salt Museum is dedicated to the crystals from the earth and the history of their extraction. In contrast, the Museum of Time in Bockenem focuses on tower clocks, a former export hit from this small town in the Ambergau region. Equally popular in Germany and Europe for many centuries was high-quality stoneware from Duingen, whose history from the Middle Ages onward can be explored at the Duingen Pottery Museum. And anyone wanting to know what creative methods were used in past centuries to combat snoring, sleep apnea, and other sleep disorders will certainly find the answer at the Snoring Museum in Alfeld.