Bandweberei und Museum Kafka
Working industrial museum in Wuppertal-Langerfeld where 25 Jacquard looms, over a hundred years old, still weave ribbons today.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The ribbon weaving mill goes back to a weaving mill in Wuppertal-Langerfeld that Bernhard Mardey founded in 1898 as a rental factory. When the production of labels and simple ribbons no longer paid off in the early 1990s, Frauke Kafka took over the business in 1991. She ran it for almost two decades as a living museum and developed her own collection that combined old ribbon patterns in new colors with her own designs.
In summer 2010 the weaving mill moved, with its looms, winding machines, yarn store and punched cards, into listed factory buildings on Öhder Straße. Since September 2018 the business has been continued by c. pauli GmbH of Waldbröl, which has been producing on the historic machines again since autumn 2018.
The heart of the mill is 25 Jacquard looms that have been running for over a hundred years. They are controlled by endless belts of cardboard cards that the weavers punch themselves with a card punch; a single motif can require up to 850 cards. The range includes hundreds of patterns, from animals and flowers to initials. In the neighboring Bergisch villa of 1887, new exhibition, sales and course rooms are being created.
Highlights
- 25 historic Jacquard looms in operation
- Punched-card control with up to 850 cards per motif
- Listed factory hall in Langerfeld
- Sale of the Jacquard ribbons woven here
Permanent exhibition
- Jacquard-Webstühle in Betrieb – In the historic factory hall, punched-card-controlled looms over a hundred years old weave ribbons, labels and initials.
- Operated by
- c. pauli GmbH
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Groups (15+ people) | –Group visits on Sundays and weekdays on request for 15 or more people. |
Visit €10 per person, including a cold or hot drink.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Werk Öhde
S-Bahn or Schwebebahn to Wuppertal-Oberbarmen, then bus 616 or 626 toward Beyenburg to “Werk Öhde”; the weaving mill is on the opposite side of the street.
GPS: Öhder Straße 47, 42289 Wuppertal.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Shop with Jacquard ribbons (currently no card payment); also the online shop of c. pauli GmbH.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Tour through the ongoing production depending on the employees' workload; registering by email or telephone makes preparation easier. |
Museums nearby
Museum für Frühindustrialisierung
Skulpturenpark Waldfrieden
Bandwirkermuseum Ronsdorf
Bibelmuseum Wuppertal
Von der Heydt-Museum
Haus Martfeld
All 9 museums in Wuppertal All museums in North Rhine-Westphalia
