Things to Do in Dessau-Roßlau

Central green space with a restored outdoor swimming pool (small fee in summer) and a large playground. The park has mature trees, a rose garden, and a skatepark. The pool itself costs €4 but the park is free year-round.

🕐 Park open 24/7; pool open Jun–Aug 10:00–19:00

💡 Visit during the Dessau Bach Festival in late May for free open-air concerts here. The toilet block near the pool is the only public loo – bring coins.

Landscape garden from the 18th century covering 22 hectares. Wide lawns, winding paths, a small lake, and scattered neo-Gothic follies. The palace itself houses an art gallery (small fee), but the park is completely free.

🕐 Park open 24/7; palace gallery Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00

💡 Enter from the north gate near the railway line – it's quieter and leads directly to the best English-style copse. Pack a picnic lunch.

Regional natural history museum with a focus on local geology and prehistoric finds. Highlights include a large Ice Age skeleton display and a diorama of the Mulde river ecosystem. Free entry on the first Friday of each month.

🕐 Tue–Fri 09:00–17:00, Sat–Sun 10:00–16:00; free first Fri

💡 Check for temporary exhibitions – they sometimes have hands-on activities for kids. The café round the corner does good cake for €3.

Aviation museum dedicated to Hugo Junkers, the engineer who designed the first all-metal airliner. Exhibits include a full-scale Junkers Ju 52 replica and engines. Entry is €6, but the outdoor aircraft display area is free to walk around.

🕐 Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00; outdoor area accessible during daylight hours

💡 Combine with a visit to the nearby Junkers wind tunnel (free, just ring the bell). The museum shop sells good postcards for 50 cents.

UNESCO World Heritage site designed by Walter Gropius. The iconic glass curtain wall and steel frame structure is a pilgrimage site for architecture fans. The permanent exhibition costs €8.50, but the exterior and surrounding grounds are free.

🕐 Daily 10:00–18:00; exterior accessible 24/7

💡 Skip the queue by booking online. Go on a weekday morning for quiet photos of the façade without crowds.