Handwebmuseum Rupperath
Volunteer-run museum in the old school of Rupperath that shows the history of spinning and weaving with working equipment.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
In Rupperath, as in many Eifel villages, spinning and weaving long formed a side income for farming families; hand looms were still being used in the village until the 1950s. The village teacher Robert A. Esser discovered two old looms in the attic of the school in 1957 and taught the children the basics of the old craft.
In 1961 he founded the “Werkgemeinschaft für Handwebkunst” (hand-weaving workshop collective), which earned a good reputation with fabrics, rugs, clothing and vestments. After the village school closed, the workshop and an attached exhibition of spinning and weaving equipment moved into the vacated rooms; the collection stood in the former gymnasium until the collective was dissolved at the end of 2003.
In 2006 the redesigned collection was opened as the Handweaving Museum in the rooms of the old school. Since then, a section of the operating association “Alte Schule Rupperath” has looked after the building on a voluntary basis and was awarded the volunteer prize of the town of Bad Münstereifel for this in 2008. Since the courtyard and building were renovated in 2010, the museum has been accessible without steps.
The collection ranges from the hand spindle to the foot-operated spinning wheel and includes weaving equipment from many countries. The pieces are not kept behind glass but are demonstrated during tours; the collection continues to grow, most recently with a Korean ramie loom, for example.
Highlights
- Working spinning and weaving equipment from many eras and cultures
- Demonstrations on the wool carder, spinning wheels and looms
- Spinning wheel from 1795
- Replica of a Neolithic warp-weighted loom
- Korean ramie loom and Indian charkhas
Permanent exhibition
- 6000 Jahre Kulturgeschichte des Spinnens und Webens – From the hand spindle to the treadle loom: working equipment from Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America shows the path from fibre to fabric.
- Founded
- 2006
- Operated by
- Betreiberverein Alte Schule Rupperath e. V.
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups | –Group tour €40 flat rate (up to 25 people); up to two tours at the same time possible. |
|---|---|
| Group tour (up to 25 people) | €40Price per group |
Free admission, donations welcome.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- 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
Accessible entrance (since the 2010 renovation) and accessible toilet.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
By train to Bad Münstereifel, then on by Linientaxi 819 or AST line 891 of Regionalverkehr Köln to Rupperath.
By car
Coaches can park nearby.
Satnav: Schulweg 1, 53902 Bad Münstereifel-Rupperath.
Get directionsAmenities & 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
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Tours with demonstrations of the spinning and weaving equipment; registration on 02257 831 or 02643 5147. Large groups are split and take turns in the collection rooms. Courses and workshops on textile techniques are also offered. |
