Discover the town through a child’s eyes
Dessau-Roßlau has lots to offer families. Any number of activities are just waiting to be discovered.
Perhaps one of the most beautiful places is our zoo, set in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you can marvel at rare, mainly native species of animal, but also jaguars, dromedaries and rheas.
The municipal and privately-owned swimming pools and bathing lakes offer a chance to cool off and have fun, while a canoe trip is another must in the summer.
If the weather is not conducive to outdoor activities, the indoor playground and climbing walls will keep boredom at bay.
Dessau Zoo
With its 11 hectares of protected countryside, the zoo is Dessau’s largest and most popular neighbourhood nature and recreation area. More than 100,000 visitors come here every year to admire the fauna and flora.
Beautiful and idyllic are the two words that sum up the charming landscape. Here, 500 animals representing some 120 different species live among rare trees and shrubs. Over 1,000 trees, including around 125 labelled species, make up the defining character of the park. This is why the zoo is unlike almost any other institution: not only does it attract children and adults alike, it is also the best and most vivid way of showing of the origins, habitats and homes of the various animal species. Because the more we know about the animal world, the more we understand the environment.
Tierpark Dessau
Querallee 8, 06846 Dessau-Roßlau
Phone +49 340 614426
tierpark.dessau-rosslau.de
Public transport:
Bus lines 11, 12, 17, Bus stop Puschkinallee/Tierpark
Dessau Central Station (500 m by foot)
The Dessau Zoo is open all year round.
Monday to Sunday: 9.00 a. m. to 5.00 p. m. (ticket office closes at 4.00 p. m.)
- Adults 7,00 EUR
- reduced* 5,00 EUR
- Kids from 3 till 12 years 3,00 EUR
*Pupils from 13 years of age, students till 30 years, trainees, vocational school students, persons doing military service, persons doing civilian service, severely handicapped persons, holders of a social passport from the city Dessau-Roßlau, User of a daily updated ticket of the public transport system
The meadow house
How does the floodplain landscape that characterizes Dessau-Roßlau “work”? What makes the Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve so special? What animals live and what plants grow there? How has man changed the landscape? The Auenhaus, the information center of the Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve Administration, offers clear answers to these questions.
Information for both children and adults is vividly presented in an exhibition pavilion.
From the Auenhaus, an adventure trail, also known as the Auenpfad, leads directly into the realm of the beaver.
There are several beaver territories along the Kapengraben near the Kapenschlösschen, which are easily recognizable to visitors thanks to their mighty beaver lodges and, with a bit of luck, the family life of the Elbe beavers can be observed directly at their lodges at dusk.
Educational programmes
The cultural institutions in the city regularly offer special programmes for children.
For example, you can create your own collages in the Anhalt Picture Gallery, try out different painting and spray techniques in the Bauhaus building or cut amber in the Museum of Natural History.
A family tour of the Palaces in Mosigkau, Luisium, Oranienbaum and Wörlitz is offered every Sunday at 11 a. m. from mid-March to the end of October.
You can find out when which events are taking place directly from the facilities or in our events calendar.
Minigolf course
In the summer months, you can play an 18-hole miniature golf course on the Blau-Weiss Dessau club grounds. The club website provides information on current opening times and prices.
SG Blau-Weiss Dessau e.V.
Kreuzbergstr. 179, 06849 Dessau-Roßlau
Phone +49 340 8000-41
Zuckerturm Climbing Centre
Exercise the fun way on 20-metre routes.
High up on the plain? That’s no contradiction in the climbing hall. In the former sugar tower (Zuckerturm) of the Old Brewery, you can make ascensions of up to 20 metres. There are routes of differing degrees of difficulty and a wall for beginners to try out from age eight. Experienced climbers are there to assist novices.
You can hire climbing equipment on site.
Kletterzentrum Zuckerturm
Brauereistraße 1-2, 06847 Dessau-Roßlau
Phone +49 340 5711161
zuckerturm.de
Public transport: Tram line 3, Stop Triftweg
Mon — Fri 4.00 — 10.00 p. m.
Sat / Sun 2.00 — 8.00 p. m.
Due to the current containment ordinance, the climbing centre is unfortunately currently closed.
- Single ticket 9 €
- Reduced ticket 8 €
Von der Rolle e.V.
Elisabethstr. 12, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau
Phone +49 1577 4494955
vonderrolle.org
Public transport: Dessau Central Station (700 m by foot)
The current opening hours are announced by the association via its Facebook page.
3 € per person for the use of the skate hall
Andes Skate Hall
The area around the Räucherturm offers plenty of opportunities to let off steam. A street course and a miniramp await in the skate hall.
With state-of-the-art equipment and a well thought-out arrangement of ramps, rails and bowls, the skate park in Dessau offers a diverse range for all types of roller sports. Whether beginner, advanced or professional – everyone will find the right challenge here.
Right next to the skate park, daredevils can try out the dirt track. This can be used free of charge. Just a few metres away in the acacia grove, there is another street course and another dirt area.
The operator of the skate hall regularly offers courses for beginners and workshops.
The area is complemented by a Calistehenics course on the south side of the skate hall.
10-pin bowling
There’s nothing like a game of 10-pin bowling every now and again, and it’s always something to do when it rains. In Dessau-Rosslau, you have several bowling alleys to choose from.
- Bowlingtreff, Hermann-Wäschke-Weg 17, 06862 Dessau-Roßlau
- Südbowl, Heidestraße 85, 06842 Dessau-Roßlau
Actionbound scavenger hunt
Indoor Playground "Igel Mizzi"
Here you can let off steam to your heart’s content! In the “Igel Mizzi” indoor playground, you can climb, slide, go-kart, dive into the ball pool and much more!
Kinderland “Igel Mizzi”
Köthener Straße 94-95, 06847 Dessau-Roßlau
Tel. +49 340 66123600
Robert-Bosch-Straße 54
06847 Dessau-Roßlau
- Children up to 6 years free of charge
- Pupils/ students/ trainees 8,00 €
- severely disabled 12,00 €
- Adults 15,00 €
- Family ticket (only available at the box office)
2 adults + 1 child (up to 14 years) € 30.00
2 adults + children (up to 3 children up to 14 years) 35,00€ - Groups, clubs, and social institutions tickets at special rates.
The season begins with the first home game on Sept. 11, 2022, and ends with the last home game on June 2, 2023.
Dessau-Roßlauer HV 06
Every other weekend, the Anhalt Arena Dessau is transformed into the home ground of the DRHV 06. The second division club can proudly look back on a club history rich in tradition and has already made it into the Handball Bundesliga (1st Division) for one season.
Those who like sporting events will love the DRHV 06’s home game atmosphere. An experience for young and old.
All dates, ticket sales points and player information can be found at
DHRV06.
Jumping games
Are you out and about in the city? Then look out for our great bouncy games for young and old. You can discover them as floor stickers at various locations and get some exercise.
Locations in Dessau: Tourist information centre, market square, Lily-Herking-Platz, south exit of the main railway station
Roßlau: Tourist Information Centre
You can find instructions here: Jumping videos
Family City Plan
With our town map for families, children can explore the town for themselves. The map includes the town’s sights, playgrounds, outdoor swimming pools and bathing places and great places for rambling and exploring.
On the back are interesting facts about the town’s special places presented in a child-friendly way. The town plan for families is available free of charge from Tourist Information, or can be downloaded here.