1. Introduction
The following information is intended to provide you, as a ‘data subject’, with an overview of how we process your personal data and of your rights under data protection legislation. In principle, it is possible to use our website without providing any personal data. However, if you wish to make use of specific services offered by our company via our website, the processing of personal data may be necessary. If the processing of personal data is necessary and there is no legal basis for such processing, we will generally seek your consent. The processing of personal data, such as your name, address or email address, is always carried out in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and in compliance with the country-specific data protection regulations applicable to “Welterbe Grube Messel gGmbH”. Through this privacy policy, we wish to inform you about the scope and purpose of the personal data we collect, use and process. As the data controller, we have implemented numerous technical and organisational measures to ensure the most comprehensive possible protection of the personal data processed via this website.

However, internet-based data transfers may, in principle, be subject to security vulnerabilities, meaning that absolute protection cannot be guaranteed. For this reason, you are free to provide us with personal data via alternative channels, such as by telephone or post. You too can take simple and easy-to-implement measures to protect yourself against unauthorised access to your data by third parties. We would therefore like to provide you with some advice on how to handle your data securely:

Protect your account (login, user or customer account) and your IT system (computer, laptop, tablet or mobile device) with secure passwords.
Only you should have access to these passwords.
Ensure that you only ever use your passwords for a single account (login, user or customer account).
Do not use the same password for different websites, applications or online services.
Particularly when using publicly accessible IT systems or those shared with others, it is essential that you log out after every session on a website, application or online service.
Passwords should consist of at least 12 characters and be chosen so that they cannot be easily guessed. Therefore, they should not contain common everyday words, your own name or the names of relatives, but should include upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.

2. The controller within the meaning of the GDPR is:
Welterbe Grube Messel gGmbH
Roßdörfer Straße 108
D-64409 Messel
Germany
service@welterbe-grube-messel.de
Telephone +49 (0) 6159 71759-0
http://www.grube-messel.de
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Christoph Degen
Managing Director: Philipe Havlik

3. Data Protection Officer
You can contact the Data Protection Officer as follows:
Data Protection Officer:
TÜV SÜD Akademie GmbH
datenschutz@welterbe-grube-messel.de
You may contact our Data Protection Officer directly at any time with any questions or suggestions regarding data protection.

4. Definitions
This privacy policy is based on the terminology used by the European legislators and regulators when enacting the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Our privacy policy is intended to be easy to read and understand for the general public as well as for our customers and business partners. To ensure this, we would like to explain the terminology used in advance. In this privacy policy, we use the following terms, amongst others:

4.1 Personal data
Personal data means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. A natural person is regarded as identifiable if they can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.

4.2 Data subject
A data subject is any identified or identifiable natural person whose personal data is processed by the controller (our company).

4.3 Processing
Processing means any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data, whether or not by automated means, such as collection, recording, organisation, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or any other form of making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction.

4.4 Restriction of processing
Restriction of processing refers to the marking of stored personal data with the aim of limiting its future processing.

4.5 Profiling
Profiling is any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of such personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person, in particular to analyse or predict aspects concerning that natural person’s performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behaviour, location or movements.

4.6 Pseudonymisation
Pseudonymisation is the processing of personal data in such a manner that the personal data can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject without the use of additional information, provided that such additional information is kept separately and is subject to technical and organisational measures to ensure that the personal data is not attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person.

4.7 Data processor
A data processor is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller.

4.8 Recipient
A recipient is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body to whom personal data are disclosed, irrespective of whether or not they are a third party. However, public authorities which may receive personal data in the course of a specific inquiry carried out in accordance with Union law or the law of the Member States are not considered to be recipients.

4.9 Third party
A third party is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body other than the data subject, the controller, the processor and the persons who, under the direct authority of the controller or the processor, are authorised to process the personal data.

4.10 Consent
Consent is any freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subject’s wishes, expressed in the form of a statement or by a clear affirmative action, by which the data subject indicates that they agree to the processing of their personal data.5. Legal basis for processing
Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR (in conjunction with Section 25(1) of the TDDDG (formerly the TTDSG)) serves as the legal basis for our company’s processing operations where we obtain consent for a specific processing purpose. If the processing of personal data is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party, as is the case, for example, with processing operations required for the delivery of goods or the provision of other services or consideration, the processing is based on Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR. The same applies to processing operations necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures, such as in cases of enquiries regarding our products or services. If our company is subject to a legal obligation requiring the processing of personal data, such as for the fulfilment of tax obligations, the processing is based on Article 6(1)(c) of the GDPR. In rare cases, the processing of personal data may be necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or another natural person. This would be the case, for example, if a visitor were to be injured on our premises and their name, age, health insurance details or other vital information were subsequently provided to a doctor, a hospital or other third parties.

In that case, the processing would be based on Article 6(1)(d) of the GDPR. Ultimately, processing operations could be based on Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. This legal basis applies to processing operations not covered by any of the aforementioned legal bases, where the processing is necessary to safeguard a legitimate interest of our company or a third party, provided that the interests, fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject do not override those interests. We are permitted to carry out such processing operations in particular because they have been specifically mentioned by the European legislator. In this regard, the legislator took the view that a legitimate interest could be assumed if you are a customer of our company (Recital 47, second sentence, of the GDPR).

6. Technology
6.1 SSL/TLS encryption
This site uses SSL or TLS encryption to ensure the security of data processing and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as orders, login details or contact enquiries, which you send to us as the operator. You can recognise an encrypted connection by the fact that ‘https://’ appears in the browser’s address bar instead of ‘http://’, and by the padlock symbol in your browser bar.
We use this technology to protect the data you transmit.

6.2 Data collection when visiting the website

When you use our website for informational purposes only, if you do not register or otherwise provide us with information or give your consent to processing that requires consent, we only collect data that is technically necessary to provide the service. This is usually data that your browser transmits to our server (“in so-called server log files”). Our website collects a range of general data and information each time you or an automated system accesses a page. This general data and information is stored in the server’s log files. The following may be collected:

browser types and versions used,

• the operating system used by the accessing system,
• the website from which an accessing system reaches our website (so-called referrer),
• the subpages accessed on our website via an accessing system,
• the date and time of access to the website,
• an abbreviated Internet Protocol address (anonymized IP address), and
• the Internet service provider of the accessing system.

We do not draw any conclusions about your person when using this general data and information. Rather, this information is required in order to

• deliver the content of our website correctly,
• optimize the content of our website and the advertising for it,
• ensure the long-term functionality of our IT systems and the technology of our website, and
• provide law enforcement authorities with the information necessary for prosecution in the event of a cyber attack.

to provide the necessary information.

We therefore evaluate this collected data and information statistically on the one hand and with the aim of increasing data protection and data security in our company on the other, in order to ultimately ensure an optimal level of protection for the personal data we process. The anonymous data in the server log files is stored separately from all personal data provided by a data subject.

The legal basis for data processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest follows from the purposes listed above for data collection.

6.3 Hosting by IONOS

We host our website with IONOS SE, Elgendorfer Str. 57, 56410 Montabaur (hereinafter referred to as IONOS). When you visit our website, your personal data (e.g., IP addresses in log files) is processed on IONOS’s servers.

The use of IONOS is based on Art. 6 (1) lit. f) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in the most reliable presentation, provision, and security of our website.

We have concluded a contract for order processing (AVV) with IONOS in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR. This is a contract required by data protection law, which ensures that IONOS processes the personal data of our website visitors only in accordance with our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

For more information on IONOS’s data protection regulations, please visit: https://www.ionos.de/terms-gtc/terms-privacy

7. Content of our website

7.1 Contacting us / Contact form

When you contact us (e.g. via contact form or email), personal data is collected. The data collected when using a contact form can be seen on the respective contact form. This data is stored and used exclusively for the purpose of responding to your request or for establishing contact and the associated technical administration. The legal basis for the processing of the data is our legitimate interest in responding to your request in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. f) GDPR. If your contact request is aimed at concluding a contract, the additional legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 (1) lit. b) GDPR. Your data will be deleted after your request has been processed, which is the case when it can be inferred from the circumstances that the matter in question has been conclusively clarified and there are no legal retention obligations that prevent deletion.

7.2 Application management / job exchange

We collect and process the personal data of applicants for the purpose of handling the application process. Processing may also be carried out electronically. This is particularly the case if an applicant submits the relevant application documents to us electronically, for example by e-mail or via a web form on the website. If we conclude an employment or service contract with an applicant, the data transmitted will be stored for the purpose of processing the employment relationship in compliance with the statutory provisions. If we do not conclude a contract with the applicant, the application documents will be automatically deleted six months after notification of the rejection decision, provided that no other legitimate interests on our part prevent deletion. Another legitimate interest in this sense is, for example, the burden of proof in proceedings under the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG).

The legal basis for the processing of your data is Art. 6 (1) lit. b), 88 GDPR in conjunction with § 26 (1) BDSG.

8. Our activities on social networks

We have our own pages on social networks so that we can communicate with you there and inform you about our services. When you visit one of our social media pages, we are jointly responsible with the provider of the respective social media platform for the processing operations triggered by this, within the meaning of Art. 26 GDPR.

We are not the original provider of these pages, but merely use them within the scope of the options offered to us by the respective providers.

As a precaution, we would therefore like to point out that your data may also be processed outside the European Union or the European Economic Area. Use may therefore involve data protection risks for you, as it may be more difficult to protect your rights, e.g., to information, deletion, objection, etc., and processing on social networks is often carried out directly for advertising purposes or to analyze user behavior by the providers, without us being able to influence this. If usage profiles are created by the provider, cookies are often used or your usage behavior is assigned to your own member profile on social networks.

The processing of personal data described above is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest and the legitimate interest of the respective provider in order to communicate with you in a modern manner and to inform you about our services. If you as a user must give your consent to data processing to the respective providers, the legal basis refers to Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR in conjunction with Art. 7 GDPR. As we do not have access to the providers’ databases, we would like to point out that it is best to exercise your rights (e.g., to information, correction, deletion, etc.) directly with the respective provider. Further information on the processing of your data in social networks is listed below for each social network provider we use:

8.1 Facebook

(Joint) controller for data processing in Europe:

Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland

Meta (Facebook) may, unless objected to, process content from adult users in the EU, e.g., photos, posts, or comments, for the purpose of training its own AI models. The basis for this is a legitimate interest pursuant to Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. As a company, we have no influence on this specific data processing by Meta. Users can object to this via an online form on the Meta platforms.

Privacy policy (data policy):

www.facebook.com/about/privacy

8.2 Instagram

(Joint) controller for data processing in Germany:

Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland

Meta (Instagram) may, unless objected to, process content from adult users in the EU, e.g., photos, posts, or comments, for the purpose of training its own AI models. As a company, we have no influence on this specific data processing by Meta. The basis for this is a legitimate interest pursuant to Art. 6 (1) lit. f) GDPR. Users can object to this via an online form on the Meta platforms.

Privacy policy (data policy):

https://instagram.com/legal/privacy/

9. mesmo-app

The mesmo-app is a free application that can be downloaded from the Google Play and Apple App Store. It allows visitors to explore the exhibition at the Messel Pit in a fun and interactive way. Various games can be played in pairs or in teams within the exhibition spaces. No personal data is collected when using the app. Technical diagnostic data is only recorded in the event of the app crashing, provided explicit consent has been given. This includes, in particular:

– Device type

– Operating system version

– Time of the crash

– Technical error logs

This data is used exclusively to improve the stability and functionality of the app (legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR; legitimate interest in the technical optimisation of the app). A service provided by Unity Technologies is used to process crash reports. In this context, data may be transferred to countries outside the European Union, in particular to the USA. This transfer is carried out on the basis of the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. Further information on data protection at Unity Technologies can be found at: https://unity.com/legal/privacy-policy. Please note that when using app stores, data is processed independently by the respective providers.

10. Your rights as a data subject

10.1 Right to confirmation

You have the right to request confirmation from us as to whether personal data concerning you is being processed.

10.2 Right to information Art. 15 GDPR

You have the right to obtain from us, free of charge, information about the personal data stored about you and a copy of this data in accordance with the statutory provisions.

10.3 Right to rectification Art. 16 GDPR

You have the right to request the rectification of inaccurate personal data concerning you. Furthermore, you have the right to request the completion of incomplete personal data, taking into account the purposes of the processing.

10.4 Erasure Art. 17 GDPR

You have the right to request that we erase personal data concerning you without undue delay, provided that one of the reasons specified by law applies and that the processing or storage is not necessary.

10.5 Restriction of processing Art. 18 GDPR

You have the right to request that we restrict processing if one of the legal requirements is met.

10.6 Data portability Art. 20 GDPR

You have the right to receive the personal data concerning you that you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format. You also have the right to transmit this data to another controller without hindrance from us, to whom the personal data has been provided, provided that the processing is based on consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR or Art. 9(2)(a) GDPR or on a contract pursuant to Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR and the processing is carried out using automated means, unless the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in us.

Furthermore, when exercising your right to data portability pursuant to Art. 20 (1) GDPR, you have the right to have the personal data transmitted directly from one controller to another controller, insofar as this is technically feasible and provided that this does not adversely affect the rights and freedoms of others.

10.7 Objection Art. 21 GDPR

You have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning you which is carried out on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. e) (data processing in the public interest) or f (data processing based on a balancing of interests) GDPR.

This also applies to profiling based on these provisions within the meaning of Art. 4 No. 4 GDPR.

If you object, we will no longer process your personal data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing that override your interests, rights, and freedoms, or unless the processing serves to assert, exercise, or defend legal claims.

In individual cases, we process personal data for direct marketing purposes. You can object to the processing of personal data for such marketing purposes at any time. This also applies to profiling insofar as it is related to such direct marketing. If you object to us processing your data for direct marketing purposes, we will no longer process your personal data for these purposes.

In addition, you have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning you which is carried out by us for scientific or historical research purposes or for statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) of the GDPR, unless such processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.

You are free to exercise your right to object in connection with the use of information society services, notwithstanding Directive 2002/58/EC, by means of automated procedures using technical specifications.

10.8 Revocation of consent under data protection law

You have the right to revoke your consent to the processing of personal data at any time with effect for the future.

10.9 Complaint to a supervisory authority

You have the right to complain to a supervisory authority responsible for data protection about our processing of personal data.

11. Routine storage, deletion, and blocking of personal data

We process and store your personal data only for the period necessary to achieve the storage purpose or as provided for by the legal provisions to which our company is subject. If the storage purpose no longer applies or a prescribed storage period expires, the personal data is routinely blocked or deleted in accordance with legal requirements.

12. Tracking

Our hosting provider Ionos (1&1 IONOS SE, Elgendorfer Str. 57, 56410 Montabaur) uses WebAnalytics, and tracking and logging are enabled by default in this context.

The data is determined either by a pixel or by a log file. WebAnalytics does not use cookies to protect personal data.

The visitor’s IP address is transmitted when a page is requested, anonymized immediately after transmission, and processed without personal reference.

IONOS does not store any personal data from website visitors so that no conclusions can be drawn about individual visitors. The following data is collected:

• Referrer (previously visited website)
• Requested website or file
• Browser type and browser version
• Operating system used
• Device type used
• Time of access

IP address in anonymized form (used only to determine the location of access)

Further information can be found at: https://www.ionos.de/hilfe/datenschutz/datenverarbeitung-von-webseitenbesuchern-ihres-11-ionos-produktes/webanalytics/

In WebAnalytics, data is collected exclusively for statistical evaluation and technical optimization of the website.

For this purpose, a data processing agreement has been concluded with IONOS, which guarantees the data protection-compliant processing of the above-mentioned data.

The data will not be passed on to third parties.

13. Current status and changes to the privacy policy

This privacy policy is currently valid and was last updated in January 2026. Due to the further development of our website and offerings, or due to changes in legal or regulatory requirements, it may become necessary to amend this privacy policy. You can access and print out the current privacy policy at any time on the website at “https://www.grube-messel.de/datenschutz”.