20 years of the Geopark: New offers and anniversary exhibition
Since its foundation in 2006, the GrenzWelten National Geopark has developed into an important player in environmental education and geotourism in northern Hesse. Whether guided hikes or exhibitions, digital formats, the Georadroute or geopark offers for schools and daycare centres - the diverse range of offers makes it possible for young and old to experience the history of the earth. More than enough reason to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Geopark with special events throughout 2026.
For example, the anniversary of GrenzWelten will be celebrated with a series of lectures. The first lecture on "Volcanism, landscape and geology of the Wolfhager Land" took place in March, the next one is on 28 April at 3 pm in the Wandelhalle Bad Wildungen, as part of the Senior Citizens' University with free admission. Geopark Director Dr Georg Bresser will speak on the topic "Of oceans, mountains of fire and mineral springs - the Bad Wildungen region and the GrenzWelten Geopark". Further lectures are planned and will be announced online and in the media.
The new geological guide "Between dinosaur tracks and mountains of fire - the Wolfhager Land Geopark region" has been published to coincide with the anniversary. On 80 pages, the book guides you through the geological features of the region, from the traces of tropical seas to dry deserts and ash-spitting volcanoes to today's landscapes. With numerous illustrations and easy-to-understand texts, the booklet is aimed at visitors and locals alike. The geo-guide to Wolfhager Land can now be requested or collected from the Geopark project office and is available to download here.
Those who prefer travelling digitally can also look forward to an "anniversary gift" from GrenzWelten: augmented reality brings Protochirotherium wolfhagense, the famous Wolfhag prehistoric animal, to life as the Geopark's latest project. From now on, this ancestor of the later dinosaurs and our modern-day birds can be viewed in a completely new way. Using a QR code, the fossilised original in the Wolfhagen Regional Museum and at the sandstone quarry in the Wolfhagen municipal forest is supplemented by an interactive augmented reality application. Users can view the prehistoric animal in 3D, take photos with it, explore its habitat and learn exciting facts about the geological history of the region. With this offer, the Geopark is once again making the fascinating (geological) history of the region accessible to all age groups.
The exhibition "20 years of GrenzWelten Geopark" at the Wolfgang Bonhage Museum in Korbach is planned as the crowning glory of the anniversary year in autumn. The museum offers the ideal backdrop for a look at the first two decades of GrenzWelten with one of its focal points "Korbacher Spalte" centred around the Procynosuchus as the heraldic animal of the Geopark. Exhibits are still being sought for the exhibition. Geopark manager Dr Bresser asks anyone who has photographic material, press cuttings or other material relating to the beginnings of the Geopark to contact the project office. The dedicated GrenzWelten team would be delighted to be able to put together an even more lively exhibition in this way.
Caption: One of the Geopark's exciting new offerings in the anniversary year 2026: the Wolfhager Urhandtier, which has come to life thanks to augmented reality, at "its" geostation in the city forest. (Photo: GrenzWelten National Geopark)