Alt Schwerin: AGRONEUM, village history and geological garden

Alt Schwerin brings agricultural history to life: AGRONEUM brings together an extensive collection of agricultural machinery, a large open-air site and buildings from village life. The open-air and village museum is dedicated to Mecklenburg's agricultural history from 1848 to the present day. At the same time, Alt Schwerin lies right between the lakes; the village is bordered by Lake Plauer See to the south and southwest.

Agricultural history at AGRONEUM

The museum's village area includes a day labourer's cottage from 1800, farm labourers' homes from 1910 and 1942, as well as from the 1960s, a harvesters' barracks and a new farmhouse built around 1950. Together, these buildings illustrate the living and housing conditions of the rural population. AGRONEUM thus presents technology alongside everyday history: the collection showcases agricultural equipment, while the houses tell the story of different living conditions.

The exhibition programme includes demonstrations, hands-on activities, and blacksmithing and holiday workshops. For travel groups with varied interests, the technology, historic buildings and opportunities to try things out each offer a different way to explore agriculture. Guided tours cover rural life and agriculture in times gone by. Advance booking is required; if you are planning a guided tour, check availability before your trip.

Village history and excursions

The brick-built Alt Schwerin village church also adds its own historical accent: it probably dates from the 14th century and received a half-timbered tower in 1732. The date of its construction is an estimate; the later addition of the tower is precisely dated.

Many cycling and hiking trails pass through Alt Schwerin. For a specific route to the geological garden on Ortkrug, head from Alt Schwerin towards AGRONEUM, crossing the A19 bridge and taking Fischweg. At the end of the paved section, continue along the gravel track for about 1 km. This makes it possible to combine a visit to the museum with a route whose direction and final section are clearly described.

The geological garden offers a different perspective on the history of the landscape. The front section illustrates the rock cycle and the three main rock groups. In the rear section, 21 erratic boulders of various origins are presented; it also explains what indicator erratics are and how they reached Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Anyone interested in rocks will find both a basic overview and examples with information about their origins.

Getting here and planning your stay

AGRONEUM can be reached by bus route 77, which runs daily between Inselstadt Malchow and Parchim. The stop is right beside the harvesters' barracks; from there, it is a 200 m walk to the main entrance. If you are planning your day around this connection, check the timetable before travelling. The 200 m refers to the walk from the stop to the museum entrance; the route to the geological garden follows a different course, via the bridge, Fischweg and gravel section.

When choosing your accommodation, consider what you would like to focus on during your stay: a longer visit to the museum, the route to the geological garden or other experiences in the municipality. AGRONEUM offers several themes under one name, while the routes and destinations in the municipality provide different highlights.

Other destinations in the municipality

The island of Werder is part of the municipality of Alt Schwerin. From there, visitors can explore the lake district on an excursion boat. The Moorochse observation tower is also a tourist attraction in the municipality, on the northern shore of Lake Plauer See in the Nossentiner-Schwinzer Heide Nature Park. These destinations complement the museum and walking routes with a boat trip and another named attraction by the lake.

Discover more destinations: Fünfseen, Penkow, Silz, Nossentiner Hütte, Göhren-Lebbin, Zislow.

Return to the regional travel overview: Amt Malchow.