Diamantschleifermuseum

About the museum

From 1888 Brücken was a center of the West Palatinate diamond industry: in that year Isidor Triefus set up the first diamond-cutting workshop in the Ohmbach valley. In the 1930s more than 2,500 people found work in the cutting workshops of the West Palatinate. In 1983 members of the Association of the Palatinate Diamond Industry first suggested a museum in Brücken; the local community pursued the idea and was able to advance it after being recognized as a village renewal priority municipality in 1994.

The building was constructed in 1928/29 as the sisters' house of the Catholic parish and later also housed a kindergarten and a women's handicraft school. It was sold in 1966 and used as a residential and commercial building; in 1997 the local community acquired it and converted it as part of village renewal. The museum was opened on December 6, 1998; the support circle founded in 1995 runs it on a volunteer basis.

The exhibition shows ten fully equipped workstations from different stages of development, faithful re-cuts of the 35 largest and most important diamonds in the world, models from the octahedron to the brilliant cut, as well as a clerk's office and a multimedia room. Former diamond cutters demonstrate the craft on Sunday afternoons. Since May 31, 2026, a museum app with augmented reality stations and interactive avatars has complemented the tour.

Highlights

• Ten fully equipped diamond-cutting workstations
• Re-cuts of the 35 largest diamonds in the world
• Models of the cutting process from the octahedron to the brilliant
• Practical demonstrations by former diamond cutters
• Museum app with augmented reality stations
• Start and finish of the 18-kilometer Diamantschleifer-Weg, a quality hiking trail

Permanent exhibition

• Diamantschleiferei in der Westpfalz – Ten original workstations, re-cuts of famous diamonds, models of brilliant cutting and multimedia presentations on the history of the Palatinate diamond industry.

Founded

1998

Operated by

Förderkreis Diamantschleifermuseum Brücken e. V.

Admission & discounts

Admission is free with the PfalzCard.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is not barrier-free; there is an accessible toilet and accessible parking spaces.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

Workshops in which adults and children get to know diamond cutting, and a "treasure chest" in which children search for gemstones; family price €3.75. School classes and school hikes are welcome.

Getting there & parking

The museum is the starting and finishing point of the 18-kilometer Diamantschleifer-Weg, a quality hiking trail through Brücken and Ohmbach.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit