The spa town of Bad Bentheim with its thermal salt-water and sulphur springs and the Bentheim region offer a wide range of interesting art and cultural attractions as well as health treatment facilities. For example, there is the Castle Museum with its exhibits on royal history, the Geological Open Air Museum and the Sculpture Trail with its artistic sculptures.Castle Museum
For years the Castle Museum has been housed in the castle's refectory. The refectory is located above the banqueting hall and has preserved many of its medieval features. In contrast to the beamed ceiling of the banqueting hall, the refectory is a ribbed vault supported by a massive central pier. You can see exhibits and papers collected by Prince Oskar of Bentheim which clearly document the history of the royal house.Geological Open Air Museum
The Geological Open Air Museum in Gildehaus, located right next to the only stone quarry still in operation in the Bentheim region, is a fascinating museum. On display are "milestones of geological history", around 50 exhibits and 16 different types of rock. Following a circular trail, visitors can inspect natural stone from around the world - from a piece of travertine which is a mere 30,000 years old to a piece of Indian granite aged 1.4 billion years. There is also an information area where you can find out more about the museum.Sculpture Trail
Nordhorn's "open-air museum", the Sculpture Trail, is around four kilometres long and forms part of the 140 kilometre Art Trail cycle route between Nordhorn and Zwolle. It leads from Frenswegen Abbey in the North to Lake Vechtesee in the South. On this trail you can discover 28 sculptures by international artists set in the middle of the countryside. The changing light and seasons, and changes in the colour of the materials used mean that the sculptures appear different as well. This turns the trail into both an artistic and scenic experience.