What we collect

The Walderbach District Museum, housed in a former Cistercian monastery, has reopened its doors following extensive renovation. Visitors can look forward to an impressive museum experience in Baroque rooms – and to the new exhibition “What We Collect”, which offers a fascinating insight into the diverse collection of the Cham district. Admission to the District Museum is free during the 2026 museum season.
Museum treasures presented anew
The exhibition showcases selected items from the folklore collection, which shed light on various facets of the region’s everyday and cultural history. Many pieces tell their own stories – ranging from simple everyday objects to extraordinary finds.
Particularly exciting: during the recent renovation work, surprising discoveries were made in the false floors, including objects from the time of the Cistercian monks who once lived in the monastery. These historical artefacts impressively illustrate the building’s long tradition, as do paintings and drinking vessels belonging to the abbots of Walderbach.
Mementos from the region’s agrarian way of life are also on display – they hark back to the time when the museum was founded by the teacher Ewald Stark in the 1960s, when the community in the Regental valley was shaped by modernisation and profound social changes. Display items from the Cham Agricultural School explore the theme in greater depth.
Another highlight is the curious and lovingly collected ‘antiquities’ of the Cham collector Ludwig Hauser, which the museum was able to acquire in the 1980s and which are sure to set the hearts of motorbike enthusiasts racing. Also on display are examples of so-called ‘folk art’, which was rediscovered and reinterpreted in middle-class circles in the mid-20th century, by the folklorist, artist and collector Oskar von Zaborsky or by the furniture manufacturer Schoyerer Cham. The spotlight is also on “colonial goods shops”, household items, historical products “made in” the Cham district and more.
Accessibility
For over 60 years, the museum, which is supported by the Cham district, has been housed in the former convent building of the Walderbach monastery complex. Following a final exhibition in 2013, the building was closed due to extensive renovation work and the collection was moved to temporary storage. In 2018, the former nursery rooms were integrated into the museum’s operational concept. This created a barrier-free exhibition space of around 400 square metres on the ground floor.
A destination in the Regental
A visit to Walderbach uniquely combines past and present: historic architecture meets vibrant culture – set amidst the charming landscape of the Regental. The new exhibition experience invites visitors to embark on a journey of discovery through the region’s history. In the immediate vicinity of the district museum stands the Romanesque hall church of St. Nicholas, built around 1200. The Prelate’s Garden, designed in the historical style, invites you to linger.
The guest house of the former monastery complex also houses the Baroque ballroom, featuring a ceiling painting by the artist Otto Gebhard from Prüfening. For over three decades, the Cham district, in collaboration with the municipality of Walderbach, has been organising the ‘Festive Concerts in the Baroque Hall’ here. The district educational garden, situated within the grounds of the former convent garden, is also well worth a visit. And the Rückerl inn caters to the culinary needs of guests visiting the former monastery complex.

Last edited on 06.05.2026