What is so special here in this small village of Messel?
• I have heard there used to be very small horses here that ate leaves from the trees?
• Back then it was 10 degrees warmer than today and the Alps didn’t even exist yet?
• Oh, the dinosaurs were already extinct back then
• Should it become a landfill?
• What, Messel village is already more than 1200 years old?
Find out more in the “Fossils and Local History Museum in Messel” (sponsor is the municipality, operator is the Museumsverein Messel e.V.):
• That 48 million old fossils were recovered from the deposits of a lake, which are very well preserved and tell us a lot about the living conditions at that time
• How there was an industrial company here that existed for 100 years and at times produced up to 35% of all mineral oil products in Germany
• That the largest garbage dump in Germany was planned to be built here and how the residents successfully defended themselves against it
• How European history was reflected in the small village of Messel
If you are curious: let yourself be seduced and then you will know more.
Exhibition: STILL ALIVE – Our Threatened Wildlife.
From September 4 to October 25, 2026 Darmstadt-based artist Ole Kleffmann portrays 21 threatened native animal species in the Messel Fossil and Local History Museum.
An exhibition opening will take place on Friday, September 12, 2025, at 7 PM at the “Fossilien- und Heimatmuseum Messel”, Langgasse 2 in Messel.
You see the program for 2025 of the “Museumsverein Messel”.
All talks will be held in German but the lecturers are willing to explain details in English.
Explanations are attached to our exhibits for you to read. However, you have the option of requesting spoken texts about special features (such as evolution, embedding, special findings, …) for some objects – especially fossils – using your smartphone. This gives you interesting additional information on the spot in view of the exhibits.
Fossilien- und Heimatmuseum
Langgasse 2
64409 Messel
Deutschland