Alte Samenklenge

The Alte Samenklenge, also called the House of Forest and Forestry History, is a museum in Elmstein dedicated to the history of forests and forestry. It occupies the former state seed storehouse, which dates back to 1913 when Johann Stamminger, head of the Elmstein-Süd forest office, set it up to process tree seeds. The building consists of a main house and an adjoining timber shed used for storage. The museum is one of only three in Germany focused on forest and forestry history, alongside sites in Becklingen and Latrop. It moved into the old seed storehouse in 2008, taking over exhibits from the Elmstein Wappenschmiede forestry museum. A local schmuckstein, or gemstone, was added in 2016 to show the area’s mining past. Inside, visitors see the original equipment used to collect and process tree seeds. The displays also cover forest use, reforestation, hunting and the work of foresters. Outside, the building sits on Elmstein’s main street near the old village fountain and the protestant parish church. Across the road stands the former inn ‘Zum Schloßberg’.