The Volcano Museum () in the old district administrative office (''Landratsamt'') in

Daun Daun () is a town in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the district seat and also the seat of the ' of Daun. Geography Location The town lies in the , a part of the Eifel known for its volcanic history, geog ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, was set up as an extension of the existing 'geopaths' at

Hillesheim Hillesheim () is the third largest town in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was the seat of the former ''Verbandsgemeinde'' Hillesheim. Geography Location The town lies almost in the middle, halfway between C ...

, Manderscheid and

Gerolstein Gerolstein () is a town in the Vulkaneifel district of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Gerolstein is a local municipality of the ''Verbandsgemeinde Gerolstein''. It has been approved as a ''Luftkurort'' (spa town). History As early as the Stone ...

and is part of the Volcanic Eifel Nature and Geopark. Numerous information boards, photographs and exhibits from the

Volcanic Eifel The Volcanic Eifel or Vulkan Eifel () consists of three areas of volcanic activity, known as the West Eifel, High Eifel, and East Eifel volcanic fields. Volcanic Eifel is a region in the Eifel Mountains in Germany that is defined to a large e ...

, as well as of currently active volcanoes in Europe and Asia, offer insights into the geological development of the Volcanic Eifel region. In addition there are several other volcano museums that cover the Eifel, such as the Maar Museum in Manderscheid and the Volcano House, Strohn.

Exhibits

In the exhibition rooms are interactive computer models about the

geology Geology (). is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical objects, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Earth ...

and

volcanism Volcanism, vulcanism, volcanicity, or volcanic activity is the phenomenon where solids, liquids, gases, and their mixtures erupt to the surface of a solid-surface astronomical body such as a planet or a moon. It is caused by the presence of a he ...

of the Eifel. On a large overview map at the entrance, the phenomena of continental movement (

plate tectonics Plate tectonics (, ) is the scientific theory that the Earth's lithosphere comprises a number of large tectonic plates, which have been slowly moving since 3–4 billion years ago. The model builds on the concept of , an idea developed durin ...

) is explained, and currently active volcanoes can be viewed by means of fluorescent lights. A computer simulation shows the distribution of the continents in the geological eras of the past and also in the future. Other exhibits explain the origin and evolution of the rocks. In the exhibition room "Eifel Volcanism" the visitor can even simulate a volcanic eruption using a model of a

cinder cone A cinder cone or scoria cone is a steep, volcanic cone, conical landform of loose pyroclastic rock, pyroclastic fragments, such as volcanic ash, clinkers, or scoria that has been built around a volcanic vent. The pyroclastic fragments are forme ...

. Other models show the entire region of the volcanic

West Eifel The West Eifel () refers to that part of the Eifel mountains in Germany that is centred on the town of Prüm and reaches as far as the border with Belgium and Luxembourg. It is not geographically precisely defined however, overlapping by about 60% ...

and the formation of volcano types in Eifel region. The models are supplemented in turn by numerous exhibits from the Volcanic Eifel. In the Volcanic Eifel Geo Centre all the geologically-related facilities of the Volcanic Eifel are summarized on an information board. These include the Devonian Route, the Bunter Sandstone Route, the Volcano Route, the Mineral Spring Route as well as mining and other museum facilities. Once again, visitors can illuminate geologically interesting places on a clear wall map using buttons. In the basement of the museum, the training centre of the Geo Centre offers a wide range of media and exhibits relating to geology.

Literature

* Werner P. D´hein: ''Vulkanland Eifel. Natur- und Kulturführer, mit 26 Stationen der "Deutschen Vulkanstraße".'' Gaasterland-Verlag, Düsseldorf, 2006, ,

External links

* {{Coord, 50, 11, 53.7, N, 6, 49, 46.85, E, type:landmark_region:DE-RP, display=title Volcanism of Germany Geology museums in Germany Museums in Rhineland-Palatinate Museums in the Eifel Vulkaneifel Volcanology in Germany Volcano museums