The ‘BROMACKER lab – Discover prehistoric times!’ has opened its doors! The new interactive format in the exhibition hall of Friedenstein Castle offers new insights into the evolution of early land vertebrates and invites interested visitors of all ages to become researchers themselves and actively discover the region's geological heritage. The exhibition is free of charge.

The new exhibition format is an important milestone in the BROMACKER cooperation project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Its aim is to combine cutting-edge research and knowledge transfer. To this end, the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin – Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Research, the Friedenstein Castle Foundation Gotha, the Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the UNESCO Global Geopark Thüringen Inselsberg - Drei Gleichen are working together.
 

Maria Schulz, curator of the BROMACKER lab and science communicator for the project, has created an interface between the two with the lab: ‘Thanks to its experimental nature, the BROMACKER lab offers the opportunity to experience the research in the project live and to participate in it. I look forward to welcoming many interested visitors and to sharing the fascination of our work.’

Not far from the unique Bromacker fossil site between Georgenthal and Tambach-Dietharz, the BROMACKER lab has created a place where interested parties can follow the journey of a fossil – from its recovery to its preparation, from its research to its presentation. Visitors to the lab will encounter the famous dinosaur skeletons and be able to try their hand at using excavation tools. Hologram display cases bring the world of around 290 million years ago to life, while digital and analogue formats allow visitors to explore topics such as fossil formation and the development of the Earth through the various geological eras in a playful way.

The BROMACKER lab is not a static exhibition. It is updated several times a year so that visitors can share in the latest research results from the project. In the lab's show workshop, they can watch live as geoscientific preparator Pia Kain uses a pneumatic chisel to uncover and prepare new fossil finds.

The Bromacker is open to everyone: a digital glossary offers the opportunity to learn scientific terms, while accompanying booklets in simple language and for children provide further access to the lab's content. Additional low-threshold offerings are planned, including workshops, holiday programmes and museum events.

The exhibition at a glance
‘BROMACKER lab – Discover prehistoric times!’

Exhibition hall of Friedenstein Castle
 

The BROMACLER lab has new opening hours

Due to the renovation of the castle, the BROMACKER lab will move to the west tower and is unfortunately not open to visitors at present.

The exhibition is expected to reopen at the end of February 2026.
 

Friedenstein Castle (exhibition hall)
Schlossplatz 1, 99867 Gotha
Telephone (03621) 8234 - 0

service@stiftung-friedenstein.de

www.friedensteine.de/artikel/bromacker-lab

www.stiftung-friedenstein.de

www.friedensteine.de (new website)

Here you will find further interesting links to the BROMACKER project and the BROMACKER lab.
 

www.friedensteine.de/artikel/der-bromacker

www.friedensteine.de/artikel/bromacker-lab

www.facebook.com/schlossfriedensteingotha/

www.instagram.com/schlossfriedenstein/

www.oscar-am-freitag.de/oscaramfreitagtv/ursaurier/

With kind permission from the editorial team at ‘Oskar am Freitag’.