Handwerkskunstmuseum Nagelschmiedhäuser

About the museum

The Nagelschmiedhäuser stand at the foot of the Schlossberg on the western edge of Rattenberg, Austria's smallest town. Presumably in the 12th century, miners hollowed out the rock and built two houses into the resulting niches. Later the buildings served as nail smithies, which made nails by hand for locks, ships, and shoemakers; the last Rattenberg nail smith worked until 1912. Today the houses, clinging picturesquely to the rock, are among the town's most popular photo subjects.

After the nail-smithing trade ended, several Rattenberg citizens planned a museum on town history, but World War I and frequent changes of ownership left the plan dormant for a long time. Today the houses accommodate a small museum that extends over three floors and through many narrow rooms carved into rock and masonry.

The collection spans from the Stone and Bronze Ages through Roman times to Rattenberg's heyday. It tells of historic mining for copper and silver, of the holy Notburga, and of navigation on the Inn. Additional holdings include old farmhouse furniture from the Alpbach and Zillertal valleys, Tyrolean nativity scenes, and everyday objects. A rock grotto right next to the houses holds the Genusswelt shop with specialties from the Alpbach valley.

Highlights

• Rock houses from the 12th century at the Schlossberg
• Rattenberg's history from the Stone Age to its heyday
• Historic mining and Inn river navigation
• Old farmhouse furniture and Tyrolean nativity scenes
• Genusswelt shop in the rock grotto

Permanent exhibitions

• Geschichte Rattenbergs – Finds and exhibits from the Stone, Copper, and Bronze Ages through the Roman period to the city's golden age.
• Bergbau, Notburga und Innschifffahrt – Information on historic copper and silver mining, on the holy Notburga, and on navigation on the Inn.
• Bauernmöbel und Tiroler Krippen – Old farmhouse furniture and Tyrolean nativity scenes in the narrow rooms of the rock houses.

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

The houses are at the western entrance to Rattenberg on Südtiroler Straße 33.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Genusswelt shop with culinary specialties in the rock grotto, right next to the Nagelschmiedhäuser.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit