Heinse-Haus
Birthplace of the poet Wilhelm Heinse in Langewiesen, with exhibitions on Heinse, porcelain, Thermos flasks, and local history.
About the museum
The half-timbered house on Ratsstraße is one of the oldest buildings in the center of Langewiesen. Johann Jacob Wilhelm Heinse was born here on February 15, 1746; he became known as a writer, translator, and art theorist, and his novel "Ardinghello und die glückseligen Inseln" is regarded as an early German novel about an artist. The Heinse family lived in the house for many years.
After a thorough restoration in the late 1990s, the building became the village's center for culture and visitor information. The neighboring house was converted in 2007/2008 and connected to the Heinse-Haus as the "Haus am Markt"; among other things, it offers a gallery for changing exhibitions. Besides the exhibition rooms, the building houses the visitor information center, the library, and the local archive, and markets and events are organized from here.
The exhibitions commemorate Heinse's life and work and Langewiesen's industrial history: the Oscar Schlegelmilch porcelain factory (1892–1972), the manufacture of vacuum flasks by the Thermos company, thermometer and glass apparatus making as home-based work, and the ball-bearing pioneer Wilhelm Höpflinger, a native of Langewiesen. Since Langewiesen was incorporated into Ilmenau in 2019, the town of Ilmenau has run the house.
Highlights
- Birthplace of the poet Wilhelm Heinse (1746–1803)
- Editions of his works, letters, and a replica of the Heinse bust from the Walhalla
- Porcelain from the Oscar Schlegelmilch manufactory
- History of the Thermos flask and how it was made
- Ball-grinding machine and ball bearings by Wilhelm Höpflinger
- Changing exhibitions in the gallery
Permanent exhibitions
- Leben und Werk Wilhelm Heinses – Editions of his works, writings about Heinse, facsimiles of letters, and portraits of the poet and art theorist who was born in this house.
- Porzellanfabrik Oscar Schlegelmilch – Decorative and everyday porcelain from Langewiesen's most important industrial company, which produced from 1892 to 1972.
- Thermos – Geschichte einer Isolierflaschenfabrik – Thermos vessels, manufacturing techniques, and company history, complemented by local thermometer and glass apparatus making.
- Operated by
- Stadt Ilmenau
Admission & discounts
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Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
The building houses a visitor information office and a library.
Events & venue rental
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