Open-air museum Celtic village Mitterkirchen

The Mitterkirchen Celtic Village opened in 1991 near the site of a previous archaeological excavation of a Hallstatt-period burial ground. The open-air museum, which is managed by the market town of Mitterkirchen, currently features 20 buildings and offers an extensive educational program. It is supervised scientifically by the Upper Austrian State Museum and attracts approximately 15,000 visitors annually.

Programs for School Groups
The Mitterkirchen Celtic Village Open-Air Museum has more than 30 years of experience in educational programs for school groups. You can find all the information at: www.keltendorf-mitterkirchen.at/Keltendorf/Angebot/Fuer_Schulklassen

History

At the Mitterkirchen Celtic Village Open-Air Museum, visitors can immerse themselves in the world of the Hallstatt period. About 20 reconstructed buildings, which have been built here in the Machland region since 1991, along with an extensive workshop and educational program, offer a journey back in time to life 2,700 years ago that engages all the senses.

The educational program is primarily used by school groups, who—under expert guidance—can try their hand at pottery, baking flatbread, weaving, spinning, and building log cabins at the Mitterkirchen Celtic Village. Metalworking and bow-making are also offered.

Among the group offerings, the Celtic Package and the Celtic Matura are particularly popular, with the former aimed primarily at senior citizen and retiree groups who explore the village as part of a guided tour. The “Celtic Matura,” on the other hand, is booked primarily by individuals and companies. During this event, the “graduates” must “demonstrate” their expertise in numerous prehistoric skills, such as fire-making and spear-throwing.

Since 2011, a regular highlight has been the “Prunkwagen und Hirsebrei” archaeological technology days, during which the Celtic village is inhabited by experimental archaeologists. During this time, visitors can watch the specialists as they reenact life in the Hallstatt period as authentically as possible. Since 2017, each craft has had its own focus, often accompanied by a separate children’s program.

Weddings, including the ceremony, can be held and celebrated in the Celtic village. The open-air museum offers the perfect setting for private celebrations of any size. Children’s birthday parties and corporate events can also take place here in an extraordinary atmosphere.

The Celtic Village was built near a former excavation site that was investigated between 1981 and 1990—amidst great media interest—by Manfred Pertlwieser, an archaeologist and the head of the Prehistory and Early History Collection at the Upper Austrian State Museum. The findings from these excavations are on display at the Mitterkirchen Celtic Village in a burial mound that visitors can walk through. In addition, an information center located just inside the entrance features a video presentation that provides visitors with comprehensive information about the archaeological background of the internationally renowned Mitterkirchen site.

The village, which initially comprised four buildings, was partially opened in 1991. It was built at the expense of the market town of Mitterkirchen im Machland, primarily with the help of Romanian refugees. Since its inception, the open-air museum has been under the scientific supervision of the Upper Austrian State Museum, currently led by Dr. Jutta Leskovar.