The island museum presents on more than 250 square meters an extensive and regionally consistently limited collection on the natural history and local history of the island of Poel. A permanent exhibition on the life and works of the painter Karl Christian Klasen completes the valuable collection. In the outdoor area there is a boulder garden as well as the model of the former Poel fortress, which was unique in its construction.
The first school building on the island, built in 1806, now houses the island museum. On about 250 m² of exhibition space you will find lovingly compiled exhibits that document the life and occupations of the people of Pole. The geological history of the island as well as its natural features are also taken into account in the exhibition. A 1:5 scale model of the castle ramparts, which were destroyed in the 30-year war, is currently being built on the grounds of the island museum.
Probably the most curious exhibit of the Pole Island Museum is a so-called rocking bathtub. The semicircular bathing vessel, built around 1900, stands on wooden skids and allows bathers to rock back and forth on it. In addition, the museum also shows, among other things, the postal history of Pole. Unusually for an island, there was a post office here as early as 1866, which operated under the name of "second-class postal expedition". Until 1929, when the island could also be reached by land via the Poel causeway with the post bus, sailing boats or a steamer brought the mail to and from the island. In the exhibition guests can admire old postcards, a letter scale, telephone books or postmarks. A permanent exhibition on the life and work of the island painter Karl Christian Klasen, born in Güstrow, completes the collection. Currently, it comprises about 60 works, including oil paintings, watercolors, woodcuts, linocuts and charcoal drawings. The painter became known beyond the country's borders through his work "Fish Heads", a portrait of the island fishermen. Visitors can marvel at these and other stories about the island off the coast of Wismar as well as an erratic block garden in and in front of the island museum. Additional events, such as weddings, cinema and puppet theater, take place in the hall of the house.
Opening hours: From September 15 to May 14, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. each day. From May 15 to September 14, Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00.
The museum is closed on Mondays.
