Haigerloch nuclear pile

The Atomkeller-Museum lies beneath Haigerloch Castle in the Swabian town of Haigerloch. It occupies a rock-hewn cellar used in the final months of the Second World War as the site of the Haigerloch research reactor. The museum opened in 1980 and traces German nuclear research from Otto Hahn’s early work to present-day developments. Inside are reconstructions of the wartime reactor, two original uranium cubes, display boards and models. A full-scale replica of Otto Hahn’s laboratory bench shows how he first split the atom in 1938. Visitors can inspect documents and smaller exhibits that illustrate the technical level reached by the project. Nearby stands a 2002 permanent exhibition on Werner Heisenberg’s life and contributions to physics, housed in the old oil mill beside the main building. In 2013 the museum was renovated and enlarged with funds from the European LEADER programme. The surroundings combine the medieval castle above with the modern museum below. The oil mill exhibition gives a quiet space to read about Heisenberg’s scientific career. The rock walls of the original cellar remain visible, linking the displays to the place where the experiments once took place.