Aquarius, Mülheim an der Ruhr
The award-winning Aquarius Water Tower Museum combines modern media technology and historic architecture to create an extraordinary museum experience centered around the element of water. Water was an indispensable resource for the heavy industry of the Ruhr region: Aquarius serves as a focal point, providing an overview of the central role of water supply during industrialization. Here, modern media technology and historic architecture merge to create an exceptional museum experience. Commissioned by August Thyssen, the water tower in the Styrum district now captivates visitors with multimedia displays on water, addressing global issues such as climate and water protection. A truly unique experience: the ride in the glass elevator through the water tank, which once held a remarkable 500.000 liters of water.
"Steirhem" - the place where bulls are sold: The royal estate of Styrum with its Ruhr meadows was already known under this name around 800 years ago. When the demand for coal and steel increased in the region, Styrum was also affected by this development. The young entrepreneur August Thyssen recognized the advantages of the small mayor's office, which had a train station but little industry. In 1871 the limited partnership "Thyssen und Compagnie, Styrum" started production in an iron rolling mill. However, the waterworks of the city of Mülheim could not cover the industrial demand for long. In 1893, August Thyssen therefore had a water tower built in Styrum, which soon supplied not only the works but also the actual community.
As early as 1897, water pipes led from Mülheim to the Graf Moltke colliery in Gladbeck and to the Union of German Emperors near Duisburg. The growing pipeline systems were a real source of money for the Thyssen tube factory. In 1912 he finally sold the Styrum waterworks to the Rheinisch-Westfälische Wasserwerksgesellschaft (RWW). Until 1982, the tower supplied, among other things, the Mannesmann tube works, which have been producing on the former rolling mill site since 1970.
After the water tower was decommissioned in 1982, RWW opened the Aquarius museum ten years later. Spread across 14 levels, 30 interactive stations, accessible via chip card, bring the world of water to life. Visitors can also use their own smartphones to explore current topics such as climate and water protection in an engaging way through the "Water Chat" app. Located directly on the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path, the tower, standing over 50 meters tall, offers the perfect opportunity for a magnificent panoramic view of the region.
Audioguides
Audioguides
45476 Mülheim an der Ruhr
Phone: +0208 / 443 33 90
eMail: aquarius@rww.de
Click here to visit the website
Closed: Monday
Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 18 pm (last entry at 17 pm)
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adults 4.00 EUR, children, reduced, groups 3.00 EUR, families 12,00 EUR
€120,00
Adult:
€5,00
Children:
€3,00
Familys:
€13,00
Reduced price:
€3,00
School classes (group rate, per person):
€2,00
Other groups (per person):
€4,00
Visit observation tower (adults):
€2,50
Visit observation tower (children):
€1,50
