Discover prehistoric times
The ‘BROMACKER lab – Discover Prehistory!’ has opened its doors! The interactive format in the west tower 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 format is an important milestone in the BROMACKER cooperation project, which is now funded by the Thuringian Ministry for the Environment, Energy, Nature Conservation and Forestry (TMUENF) (until 2025 by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR)). 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 Foundation Gotha, the Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the UNESCO Global Geopark Thüringen Inselsberg - Drei Gleichen are working together.
Not far from the unique Bromacker fossil site between Georgenthal and Tambach-Dietharz, the BROMACKER lab has been created as a place where interested visitors can marvel at the most impressive fossil finds and learn about the latest research findings. The focus is on key questions about the history of the Earth: What do fossils tell us about life around 290 million years ago? What did the landscape, climate and ecosystems of that time look like? The exhibition also highlights the history and scientific significance of Bromacker as an internationally important fossil site. A hologram display brings the world of around 290 million years ago to life, while digital and analogue formats provide a playful introduction to topics such as the formation of fossils and the development of the Earth through the various geological eras.
The exhibition at a glance
‘BROMACKER lab – Discover prehistoric times!’
West tower of Friedenstein Castle, 3rd floor
Information on admission prices can be found on the website of the Friedenstein Foundation Gotha.
Opening hours
Tuesday to Sunday
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (November to March)
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (April to October)
Friedenstein Castle
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.
https://www.friedensteine.de/artikel/der-bromacker
https://www.friedensteine.de/artikel/bromacker-lab
https://www.facebook.com/schlossfriedensteingotha/?locale=de_DE
https://www.instagram.com/schlossfriedenstein/?hl=de
All photos: © Friedenstein Stiftung Gotha; Mariana Musii 2026.