The Glentleiten open-air museum is one of the most popular family destinations among Garmisch-Partenkirchen residents. From Josephi to Martini — i.e. from March 19 to November 11 — you can find exciting experiences for young and old here every day. Even in rainy weather.

The museum is located approximately 750 m above Großweil and can be reached via the motorway from the Hotel am Badersee in just 40 minutes. Old Bavarian houses from all over the Oberland have been collected here since 1973; the oldest building is around 500 years old. The museum focuses on Bavarian tradition, culture and history, as well as technology and work in the countryside. Church holidays such as Corpus Christi, Ascension Day or church dedication are celebrated here traditionally and festively — with appropriate dishes and dance music.

10:00 a.m.: We're going to Glentleiten by car today. On the motorway, you have to take the exit towards Kochel/Großweil. In Großweil, we buy fresh pastries in the bakery for breakfast and then we visit the sole threshold on the Loisach. In summer heat, a relaxed breakfast on the shore below the steps is quite pleasant — the cool air with tiny drops of water has a refreshing effect, the sound of water creates an exotic atmosphere and the children can finally splash themselves with water. It's good that we brought some spare clothes.

11:00 a.m.: After breakfast, it's off to the open-air museum, which is only a few kilometers away from here. Glentleiten is extremely popular, so parking spaces are in high demand here. The small shop at the cash desk offers handmade souvenirs and groceries — this is the right place for shopping if you want to give something special to your loved ones. On the terrain map, we work with the children to choose a route that offers exciting experiences for everyone.

11:30 a.m.: We follow the path to the left and reach the pond in about 15 minutes. The small stream, which is fed by the pond, uses its hydropower to power numerous workshops located at the bottom of the stream: a whetstone factory, a flour mill, a sawmill and a hammer mill. That was exactly our goal. The children run forward and discover a huge ball track that accompanies the way down for several meters. Of course, everyone buys a ball (50 cents) so the journey is no longer boring. The children don't even want to go to the workshops anymore — they would love to spend the whole day here at the ball track.

12:30 p.m.: After we have looked at the ingenious devices and mechanisms from the past, it's off to a charcoal burner. There is really something going on here today: the kiln is in full use and a group of dirty dads with even dirtier children are busy producing coal. While we adults watch, the children are fully involved until they get hungry.

1:00 p.m.: A bit uphill, we come to the old houses that have been preserved here on Glentleiten. The houses come from Upper Bavarian communities south of Munich. There are always new objects added to this unique collection, which are saved from destruction as a result. These include not only residential buildings, but also farms, stables, workshop barns, mills and bakehouses, a forester's lodge, a fishing hut, an apiary, a lime kiln with wood laying and lime pits, alpine huts from Berchtesgaden and a chapel from Kirnberg. Werdenfels hay stalls from Partenkirchen, Wamberg and Mittenwald are also located here.

After the children have been thoroughly cleaned of the coal and after we have enjoyed a snack, we go to the “Mirznhäusl”, where you can explore the rustic house with a note and pen in hand, solve puzzles and search for hidden objects. The quest ends with a small prize, which you have to get from a locked safe yourself.

2:00 p.m.: Now the kids want to paint pots. As part of an open workshop, Glentleiten offers exciting activities for young and old, such as making their own cleaning supplies, pottery and painting clay bowls or trailers, building wind turbines or bird feeders, etc. For those who are interested in old techniques, there is a wide selection: weaving, embroidery and lace making, fabric printing, spinning, rope making, basket weaving, reverse glass painting, rod dolls or hobby horses out of hay and much more. For traditional costume enthusiasts, there is costume tailoring, gold embroidery, braces or mending leather pants.

Traditional male activities are also well represented here, such as brewing beer, beekeepers, forging, saddling, turning, carving, carpentry. There is also an Alphorn taster course for followers. That way, no dad will be bored with the offspring on a long day. The little ones can now keep themselves busy: for example, discover Glentleiten with a detective, bake apple fritters, make buttons, make mustard, or simply take part in an alpine afternoon for children and harvest potatoes. Mum is also impressed here — at workshops and day seminars such as “From Apples and Pears” (weekend about historical varieties), “From Flax to Linen”, “Tiled Furnace Days” (tile making) or “Candles made from Beeswax”.

3:00 p.m.: The children are still painting and we are taking a tour of the alpine huts. The mountain meadow provides a suitable backdrop for alpine hikes, tree and wild herb tours. There are several alpine huts from the Berchtesgadener Land region here, including a shepherd's hut and a rustic cheese salm, which can be visited from time to time as part of a guided tour. For example, you can briefly dive into the everyday life of a dairywoman who once spent the summer on a high alpine meadow with her animals in this hut.

4:30 p.m.: Now the children can be picked up again and we go to the grocery store for a moment. Holidays are celebrated here with traditional food and music. Fresh bread is always baked at Glentleiten on Thursdays, otherwise there are many homemade products for sale here. We buy a few treats for home and leave Glentleiten with them. For dinner, we choose Kreut-Alm today.

5:00 p.m.: The Kreut-Alm is only about 200 m from Glentleiten and offers hearty Bavarian cuisine, delicious cakes and a magnificent view of Lake Kochel and the surrounding mountains. Especially on sunny days like today, the beer garden at the Kreut-Alm with its shady chestnuts is very popular. The economy is also open in winter.

Tips & info:

• Glentleiten Open-Air Museum website
• Glentleiten can also be reached by public transport: by train to Murnau and then take bus 9611 to Großweil from Murnau station.
• A special recommendation at Glentleiten is a long Saturday breakfast in the grocery store or a morning pint with music. Otherwise, Glentleitner Christkindlmarkt takes place every year on the 1st weekend of Advent.
• Die Kreut-Alm in Grossweil
  

‍