In terms of geological history, the Ice Age only represents a very short period between around 2.7 million and 11,700 years ago. It is characterised by strong, cyclically recurring climate fluctuations. A large part of human history falls within this epoch. For the longest period of his existence, man was a hunter-gatherer, travelling through the vast landscape as a nomad. He followed the herds of mammoths, horses or reindeer. His diet consisted of whatever nature had to offer.

Most of his life was spent outdoors, and the centre of daily life was the camp fire. Windbreaks or simple roofs made of wooden frames covered with fur, leather or grass served as shelter.

Numerous finds in Lower Austria bear witness to this period. Remains of mammoths, figurines such as the Venus of Willendorf, but also the double burial of two babies from Krems-Wachtberg date from this period.

The MAMUZ Museum Mistelbach takes its visitors on a journey to our ancestors and shows how hunter-gatherer societies lived. Unique original artefacts, video stations and animal specimens provide a deeper insight into this bygone world.

In the EISZEIT exhibition, children are invited to find out more about this period at specially designed stations. The themes of hunting, art, animals, dwellings and experimental archaeology are scrutinised. The focus is always on active participation and experience.

Which animals were hunted and how was food cooked? Did colours exist in the Ice Age and how were they made? What do animal tracks or bone finds tell us? What did a settlement look like and what kind of dwellings did people live in? And how long did it take to drill a hole in a bone flute? Questions upon questions - the answers can be found in the MAMUZ Museum Mistelbach.