In the permanent exhibition, visitors embark on a varied journey through Neolithic traces, from the life of the glorious farmer astronomer Johann George Palitzsch to the basics of astronomy.
Exhibition offers
Life 7,000 years ago
As long as 7,000 years ago, people were settling in the south of Dresden; but what traces did they leave behind? We ask this question whilst considering today’s ‘rubbish’. Who will still be able to describe their use in 7,000 years’ time – and will these objects even still exist by then? With such thoughts in mind, we now examine the fragments and traces found from the people of the Neolithic period: stone tools and pottery, as well as images of excavations and finds from the area around the museum. How did people manage their lives back then? The remains of four enormous circular ditch complexes present particular puzzles. As budding archaeologists, model-makers and conservators, the children can recreate such a complex, reconstruct a vessel and plait a Stone Age cord.
Our Place Among the Stars: An Introduction to Astronomy
Why on earth are we humans here on Earth? Where is our home planet, Earth, situated in the seemingly endless universe? Why is it warm in summer and cold in winter? How do the seasons come about? Is it true that we are made of stardust? What other planets are there in our solar system, and what might we humans never find out? At the Palitzsch Museum, we’ll be searching for answers. We’ll be using our digital planetarium, which will allow us, amongst other things, to take a closer look at the constellations. On this journey, we’ll also visit comets, which are among the most fascinating subjects of astronomical research.
Our Sun
At night, we can see stars from which only their light reaches us. Our star, the Sun, is so close that we can even feel its warmth on our skin, just like many other living creatures and plants. Where do all the stars come from, and what goes on inside them? And isn’t it said that we humans are made of stardust? – This interactive tour takes pupils on a journey of discovery to the Sun and explains how it makes life in our solar system possible.
Cosmic vagabonds in the Solar System
The scale of our solar system is hard to imagine. For example, it takes Halley’s Comet around 76 years to complete one orbit of the Sun. Comets are remnants from the time our solar system was formed. On this interactive guided tour, our visitors will get to know comets better. They will learn how researchers managed to land on a comet in 2014.
The Discoveries of the Farmer Palitzsch
The farmer Johann George Palitzsch was not only the first to rediscover the comet predicted by the English astronomer Halley; he was also the first to identify the freshwater polyp in Saxony. Palitzsch was a deeply religious man who was fascinated by the wonders of nature. Our models help you learn more about the discovery of the comet. Our microscopes show the freshwater polyp up close.
In search of Prohlis Castle
Since 2021, we have known that Prohlis Castle, built in 1888, was not completely demolished. The intact structures of the ground floor were discovered beneath the turf, and work began on uncovering them. A fire in 1980, the cause of which was never fully established, had caused immense damage and led to the building’s demolition five years later.
As part of this extraordinary museum education project organised by the Palitzsch Museum, the buried structures of the castle are to be further uncovered under expert guidance, and the traces of the past recovered, examined and preserved. The project is open to everyone: school classes, groups and individuals can book a session at the museum and learn more about source criticism in general and the history of the village of Prohlis and its surroundings in particular.
To book a session, please call +49 351 796 7249 or email peter.neukirch@museen-dresden.de