Tucked away in the mining town of Schneeberg in the Ore Mountains, this small museum tells the story of the region's mining culture through wood carvings, mechanical nativity scenes and folk art rarely seen outside the Erzgebirge.

The museum occupies a striking Baroque townhouse, considered one of the finest Baroque buildings in the entire Saxon Ore Mountains, so the setting alone is worth the visit. Inside, the atmosphere is warm and intimate, a good indoor stop when the weather turns on a hiking day or when you want to understand the mining heritage behind the landscape you've been walking through. In winter, with snow settling over Schneeberg's rooftops, the collection of mechanical mountain scenes feels especially fitting.

• Schneeberg town centre — the museum sits in the historic Bortenreuther House right in town, a few minutes' walk from the market square, easy route

• Building: Baroque Bortenreuther House, built 1724/25, listed heritage site
• Highlight exhibit: the mechanical Erzgebirgische Dorfkirmes by Erich Parthey, acquired in 1982 and set in motion on special occasions
• Part of the Erzgebirge mining region sites proposed for UNESCO World Heritage listing

Fun fact: the museum's collection traces back to 1922, and its lavishly decorated facade makes the building arguably the most important Baroque structure in the whole Saxon Ore Mountains.