The Gardener's Museum Wolfenbüttel

The new conception of the Gardener's Museum comprehensively deals with the history of vegetable cultivation in Wolfenbüttel. The exhibition design arose from the architecture of the historic farmhouse (Streckhof) that accommodates the museum and the property that surrounds it. In a minimalist scenography, that comments on the different rooms and elaborates on their functions, rather than furnishing them, visitors are guided through more than 500 years of history of vegetable cultivation in Wolfenbüttel: From the Duke's cropland to his move to Brunswick, the takeover of the vegetable gardens by farmhands (the so called "Gartenknechte"), the establishment of horticulture as a profession, the purchase of additional land in the 19th century, the heyday of vegetable cultivation in Lower Saxony in the 1950s to current developments. The exhibition also deals with the history of downright gardening dynasties that developed locally, some of which are still active today.

Inspired by nature, the content is translated into form as "cuttings", cleverly bypassing the walls of the landmark farmhouse. An exhibition system consisting of colorful wooden poles stuck in perforated concrete foundations is guiding the visitors through the various rooms of the museum. Audio narrations of illustrated protagonists supplement the tour in terms of content and design. Each room is assigned a main theme. The "kitchen", for example, provides information about the working community of men and women, the "shed" deals with trade and marketing. Exhibits such as the "Kuhversicherungs-Sterbecasse" (an insurance fund in case a cow deceases), or a tin can from the Busch canning factory are supplemented medially by audio stations and hands-ONs. Media stations in the "barn" explain the handling of traditional tools and machines. The outdoor area will be opened in spring and introduces visitors to forgotten types of vegetables, which are cultivated by members of the association Gärtnermuseum Wolfenbüttel e.V.