Discover large H0 layouts, the colourful miniature funfair, the Ruhr area, Alpine landscapes, the Black Forest and many lovingly staged everyday scenes. At the same time, you will find practical ideas for recreating landscapes, buildings, bridges, lighting and moving scenes on your own model railway.
The exhibition known under its former name Modellbahnwelt Odenwald is now called Fürth Miniature Worlds. In a large exhibition hall, several independent model railway layouts, landscape themes and display worlds come together. Within just a few steps, visitors move from German low mountain ranges through the industrial Ruhr area to Alpine regions, the Black Forest or American-inspired railway scenes.
The focus is on H0 gauge in 1:87 scale. This scale makes long trains, large stations and extensive landscapes possible, while still leaving enough room for finely detailed figures, vehicles, buildings and technical functions. This makes the exhibition interesting both for families and for experienced layout builders.
The interaction of railway operation and scenic design is especially worth seeing. The trains are not just decoration, but part of large operating sequences. They disappear into tunnels, meet in stations, cross viaducts and travel through landscapes in which countless small stories can be discovered. Light, movement, sounds and operable functions bring the miniature world to life.
An exhibition layout shows proportions much more clearly than an individual product image. It demonstrates how track radii work within a landscape, how buildings can be grouped sensibly and how transitions between town, industry, forest, mountains and open line can be designed. The distribution of trees, figures and lighting can also be studied directly from different perspectives.
Anyone planning their own layout should therefore not focus only on individual models. The scenic connections are more interesting: where does a gradient begin? How is a tunnel portal embedded in the mountain? How much free space does a station need? Where do roads, paths and small side scenes look believable? Further basics can be found in the Model Railway Guide and in our overview of the model railway.
The exhibition consists of several areas, each with its own landscape, railway atmosphere and design style. Some layouts are continuously extended or rebuilt, so there are new scenes to discover even on another visit.
Mines, industrial plants, freight traffic and densely built urban areas show the railway as the backbone of an industrial region. For your own layout, this area provides ideas for factory sidings, shunting operation, tank wagon trains, coal loading and weathered buildings.
Black Forest houses, wooded areas, streams and typical rural scenes represent a particularly atmospheric form of layout construction. The area is complemented by new route motifs from the Rhine Valley and distinctive landscape points such as the Loreley rock.
Mountains, viaducts, tunnels, retaining walls and trains on different height levels are among the classic highlights of Alpine model railways. Suitable inspiration can also be found in our theme worlds for SBB, RhB and ÖBB.
Illuminated rides, stalls, visitor figures and moving models form a colourful contrast to the classic railway scenes. On your own layout, such a fairground can be designed well on a removable area or as a seasonally changing module.
Vineyards, river landscapes, small towns and curving railway lines are ideal for believable transitions between nature and built-up areas. Layered terrain, retaining walls and vegetation with different grass lengths and colour tones are especially important.
Long freight trains, wide landscapes and American architecture show a different form of model railway construction. Large radii and generous spacing give trains an impressive appearance. Even on smaller layouts, this theme can be realised as a shunting module or industrial siding.
Stations, roads, city buildings, lighting and modern multiple units show how closely rail and city are connected. Vehicles, pedestrians, stops and small everyday scenes prevent the urban area from looking like a lifeless collection of individual kits.
Regionally distinctive buildings, branch-line atmosphere and rural motifs show that a believable layout does not necessarily need a huge main station. A small station, a goods shed and a manageable village street can already create a complete layout theme.
Large exhibition layouts require reliable power supply, monitored hidden yards and coordinated control. On a behind-the-scenes tour, it becomes clear why accessibility, detection sections and clean wiring should already be considered during planning.
The Fürth Miniature Worlds are mainly characterised by large layouts in H0 gauge. However, the design ideas can be transferred to almost any nominal size.
H0 uses 1:87 scale and a model track gauge of 16.5 millimetres for standard gauge. It offers a very large selection of vehicles, buildings, figures and track systems. For a public exhibition, H0 is especially attractive because models remain clearly visible even from a slightly greater distance, while extended running routes are still possible.
Anyone with less space at home can recreate many motifs more compactly in TT, N or Z. Larger scales such as 0, 1 and G, on the other hand, are suitable for particularly detailed individual scenes, garden railways or modular layouts. Narrow-gauge themes work in H0e, H0m, 0e or G and already look believable on comparatively small areas.
| Gauge | Scale | Suitable Motifs from the Exhibition | Typical Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z | 1:220 | Long routes, large landscape effect, compact display-case layouts | Very low space requirement |
| N | 1:160 | Alpine routes, long trains, stations and wide valleys | A lot of railway operation on a small area |
| TT | 1:120 | Ruhr area, regional traffic, branch line and industry | Good balance of space and detail |
| H0 | 1:87 | All theme areas, funfair, towns, mountains and main lines | Very large model and accessory selection |
| H0e / H0m | 1:87 | Mountain railway, museum railway, tight village streets | Tight radii and characterful vehicles |
| 0 | 1:45 | Shunting yard, industrial siding and detailed scenes | Strong detail impact |
| 1 | 1:32 | Steam locomotive operation, depot and demonstration routes | Impressive vehicles and technology |
| G / IIm | usually 1:22.5 | Alpine railway, viaducts, garden landscape and narrow gauge | Robust models for indoor and outdoor use |
The exhibition is located in Fürth in the Hessian Odenwald. Before travelling longer distances, current opening hours, special dates and admission prices should be checked directly with the operator.
Fürther Miniaturwelten GmbH
Krumbacher Straße 37
64658 Fürth im Odenwald
Arrival by car is possible via Weinheim and Heppenheim, among other routes. Parking is available on site. For travel by public transport, Fürth im Odenwald station and bus connections from Heppenheim are possible options.
Official DirectionsThe regular opening days are Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. According to the current operator information, the exhibition is open on these days from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Additional openings may be offered on public holidays, during selected holiday periods and for registered groups. Last admission or individual areas may be subject to different rules.
Check Opening HoursDay tickets, family tickets, discounts and group offers are available. Behind-the-scenes guided tours provide insight into control systems, hidden yards, layout construction and the creation of the individual exhibition worlds.
Since prices and tour dates may be adjusted, they are deliberately not permanently fixed on this page.
Admission Prices and Guided ToursThe layouts are located on one level and can be reached by visitors with limited mobility. An alternative access route is available for individual paths. However, the toilets are located on the upper floor and are not step-free.
Private photos and video recordings are generally permitted. Commercial recordings require prior permission.
Official Visitor FAQA large exhibition does not have to be copied in full. Often a single motif is enough, adapted to your own space, gauge and era.
First decide on a clearly recognisable theme, such as a Black Forest village, funfair, industrial railway, Alpine viaduct or small regional station. A limited theme usually looks more convincing than too many disconnected scenes.
First plan radii, points, gradients and reachable sidings. Scenery and buildings are then arranged so that they explain the route believably and maintenance access remains clear.
Combine substructure, rocks, soil, short and long grass fibres, shrubs and trees. Different colour tones prevent a uniform carpet-like appearance and create visual depth.
Figures, vehicles, small work sequences and carefully used lighting tell stories. Movement should be used deliberately where it creates a real eye-catcher.
Natural landscapes rarely consist of a single green surface. Work with transitions, bare patches of ground, different grass lengths, low shrubbery and individual distinctive trees. In a mountain scene, retaining walls, rocks and tunnel portals are not just decoration; they explain why the railway line runs exactly there.
A Black Forest house looks more believable when driveway, garden, fountain, fence, residents and vegetation fit together. A factory needs a loading track, vehicles, pipes, storage areas or workers. In the building kits category, you will find stations, residential houses, industrial buildings and rural structures for different gauges.
A completely evenly lit town can quickly look artificial. Differently bright windows, individual street lights, illuminated platforms and clearly defined focal points are more interesting. Suitable components for houses, vehicles and funfair models can be found in the LED and model railway lighting range.
The following items pick up typical motifs from the exhibition: Black Forest, funfair, viaducts and natural landscape design.
A compact eye-catcher for village, forest edge or rural branch line. The typical roof and the fountain immediately create a regional character.
Add figures, wood piles, fences and grass of different heights.
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A moving ride as the centrepiece of a fairground. The model is suitable for illuminated funfair, town festival or event scenes.
Plan open space for visitors, ticket booths, stalls and power supply.
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The tall viaduct creates an impressive route over valleys, rivers or roads and is suitable as a striking centrepiece of a mountain layout.
Blend bridge abutments into the terrain with rocks, retaining walls and vegetation.
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Long grass fibres are suitable for embankments, fields, riverbanks and less maintained areas. Several colour tones create a much more natural effect.
Combine short base fibres with long fibres, grass tufts and flock material.
View productThe most important answers about the current name, the gauge used, the visit and transferring exhibition ideas to your own model railway.
The exhibition is now presented under the name Fürth Miniature Worlds. The former name Modellbahnwelt Odenwald is still frequently searched for and is still familiar to many model railway enthusiasts.
The exhibition is located at Krumbacher Straße 37 in 64658 Fürth im Odenwald. Fürth in the Odenwald should not be confused with the large Franconian city of Fürth.
The focus is on H0 gauge in 1:87 scale. This scale is suitable for large operating layouts as well as detailed buildings, figures and moving scenes.
Yes. Running trains, illuminated funfair models, moving elements and many small scenes also make the exhibition interesting for families. Small children should be accompanied at the layout edges.
At least two hours should be planned for a first tour. Anyone who photographs details, studies layout construction or joins a guided tour can spend much longer in the exhibition.
Guided tours are offered by prior arrangement. They provide insights into control systems, hidden yards, technology and areas that are not publicly accessible.
A small Black Forest halt, an industrial siding, a funfair module or a single-track route section with a viaduct are especially suitable. A clearly limited motif needs less space and can be detailed more intensively.
You need a stable layout base, track, terrain substructure, rocks or walls, grass fibres, bushes, trees, buildings, figures and possibly lighting. Selection and quantity depend on gauge, available area and chosen theme.
Yes. Scenic principles such as layered height, visual guidance, graduated vegetation and logically arranged buildings work in every gauge. Dimensions, radii and distances only have to be adapted to the respective scale.
Our page Model Railway Worlds of Experience presents further publicly accessible miniature worlds, exhibition layouts and day-trip destinations for model railway enthusiasts.
Discover suitable track, buildings, scenery materials, lighting, figures and moving models for your personal layout project.