27th Westphalian Pottery Market Mühlenhof Münster

27th Westphalian Pottery Market — Münster's most traditional ceramics Sunday

Since the early 2000s, the Mühlenhof Open-Air Museum Münster has hosted the Westphalian Pottery Market annually on the third Sunday in July — one of the most important ceramics markets in Northwest Germany in terms of quality. In 2026, the 27th edition will take place on Sunday, July 19th. The market serves as both a sales platform for ceramic artists from all over Germany and a family Sunday experience at the open-air museum by the Aasee.

Pottery Variety from All Over Germany

What distinguishes the market in terms of quality: it brings together professional ceramic artists from all over Germany — not just local potters, but exhibitors who travel several hundred kilometers for such markets. The range includes:

• Tableware — cups, plates, bowls, jugs in various glaze styles
• Vases — from minimalist modern to traditional Rhenish-Westphalian
• Garden sculptures — frost-proof ceramics for outdoor use
• Bowls — salad bowls, dessert bowls, fruit bowls
• Children's pottery section — where young visitors can get hands-on under guidance
• Raku firing demonstrations (depending on exhibitor) — the Japanese firing technique in action

Mühlenbäcker — Fresh Bread from the Historic Oven

A core feature of the Mühlenhof Pottery Market is the Mühlenbäcker: the open-air museum operates a historic bakery with a wood-fired oven, which is in operation on market days. The aroma of fresh bread (rye-wheat bread, wheat bread, rolls) wafts across the entire grounds — and buyers get bread baked using the traditional methods documented at the open-air museum. This symbiosis of pottery market and living museum is what sets the Westphalian Pottery Market apart from other ceramics markets.

Mühlenhof Open-Air Museum — The Setting

The Mühlenhof Open-Air Museum Münster is located on the Aasee, the central lake in the south of Münster, and is one of the oldest and most significant open-air museums in Westphalia. Over the extensive grounds, 30+ historic buildings from the Münsterland region have been gathered: farmhouses, a post mill, a granary, a blacksmith's forge, a 19th-century schoolroom, a millstream water mill. The museum is not just an exhibition but an active workshop: blacksmiths, bakers, and millers work on market days as they did in the past. This authentic atmosphere makes the pottery market an experience that goes far beyond mere shopping.

The Third Sunday in July — Tradition for Two Decades

The date has been fixed since the early 2000s: annually on the third Sunday in July. In 2026, this falls on July 19th. This predictability has earned the market a loyal fan base — pottery collectors from Münsterland and neighboring regions come every year.

Münster — Westphalia's Cathedral City and University City

The large city of Münster, with its approximately 320,000 inhabitants, is the cultural metropolis of Westphalia and the district capital of the Münster district (also a self-governing city). Famous for its Cathedral, the Prinzipalmarkt with its historic gabled houses, the Peace Hall Town Hall (Westphalian Peace 1648), the Aasee with its promenade, the University of Münster (second oldest in NRW), the LWL Museum of Art and Culture, the Skulptur Projekte Münster (an international art event every 10 years). With the Mühlenhof Open-Air Museum, the Picasso Museum, and the LWL Museum of Natural History, Münster boasts one of the densest museum landscapes in Germany.