A thermally insulating housing has one housing shell inside another. The two housing shells are at least largely vacuum-tight, they are spaced apart from one another by a thermal insulation layer, and they are connected to one another in a vacuum-tight fashion. A useful space inside the thermally insulating housing is accessible through a loading opening. The housing shells are tubular elements which are closed in a vacuum-tight fashion at one of their openings with a cover which is at least very largely vacuum-tight. The remaining opening serves as the loading opening of the housing.