Welcome to Altenburg, MO!

The Lutheran Heritage Center and Museum complex was constructed in 2005 in Altenburg, Missouri.  The Museum interprets the 1838-39 Lutheran immigration from Germany to Perry County, MO, including the history of the seven original colonies that were established here. It also follows the origins of the Lutheran Church in East Perry County and the regional German-American culture. A beautiful exhibit hall, reception area, and gift shop was integrated into the original 1845 church building, commonly known as the "Big School."  The Museum offers guided and self-guided tours of the main gallery, Big School gallery, and original church.  Tours of the 1839 Log Cabin - Concordia Seminary birthplace, the Christiane Loeber Cabin and the 1867 Trinity Church are also available. The new state-of-the-art Reading Room and Research Library is home to the Zion Roots Research project, enabling descendants from the original immigration to trace their famly back to the German Parish records, and includes surname resources, German hometown data, parish records, and extensive German maps.  Visit our online genealogy site at:
ZionRootsGenealogy.org

Mission Statement
Through its mission, the Lutheran Heritage Center and Museum is committed to:
Promoting the local, regional, national, and international origins of the Lutheran immigration heritage in southeast Missouri;
Preserving the museum collections and other related sites through the standard museum practices of conservation, documentation, cataloging, publication, and storage;
Interpreting the history of the original Lutheran colonies in Perry County, the rich history of the first Evangelical Lutheran seminary west of the Mississippi River, and the rich German-American cultural heritage that has been a significant part of the region since 1839;
Educating the public through permanent and rotating exhibits, presentations, cultural festivals, educational classes, seminars, academic conferences, and archival research.