Palatine Stonemason Museum

The Palatine Stonemason Museum (German: Pfälzische Steinhauermuseum^[1]) is located in a listed, historical, timber-framed house on the market place of the village of Alsenz in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The museum's exhibits and documents focus on the history of stonemasonry associated with the use of sandstone in the region, covering everything from quarrying to various processing techniques. The museum showcases the equipment and tools used by stonecutters, highlights the versatility of sandstone, and delves into the social history and lives of stonecutters and their families.

The museum features a display of sandstone samples in the lapidarium, showcasing the variety of sandstone species found in Germany. Visitors can explore fossils, sandstone exhibits ranging from Roman times to the present day, technical film materials, lectures, and readings. The specialist library offers comprehensive information on the stonemason's craft. A faithfully replicated planning and construction office gives an insight into the way of life in the 19th century. Additionally, the museum invites visitors to examine rock structures through a microscope and to engage in hands-on activities with sandstone using tools. The gallery regularly hosts temporary exhibitions, lectures, and readings.

The main topics are technology, tools and instruments, industry and industrial history, everyday culture, handicrafts and traditions, cultural anthropology and folklore, and modern and contemporary art.

References[edit]

49°43′21″N 7°48′47″E / 49.72245°N 7.81295°E / 49.72245; 7.81295