Hüttenmuseum Thale

About the museum

The Hüttenmuseum Thale (ironworks museum) was established in 1986 for the 300th anniversary of the ironworks. It is housed in the former residence of the ironworks owner Bennighaus and is now run by the Geschichts- und Hüttenmuseumsverein Thale am Harz e. V. (history and ironworks museum association).

The exhibition traces the development from a small sheet-metal works in 1686 to a large operation with a steelworks, rolling mills, a stamping and enameling plant, container and apparatus construction, and powder metallurgy. Models of a bloomery furnace, blast furnace, and finery forge explain smelting. It also tells how Europe's first tableware enameling plant was established in Thale in 1835 and how around 1900 the works met a considerable share of the world's demand for enameled tableware. Further chapters are devoted to the railway connection, armaments production, and the periods as a Soviet joint-stock company and as a state-owned enterprise (Volkseigener Betrieb).

Since 1995 the museum has also shown environmental history: the pollution of air, water, and soil through centuries of metallurgy and, since 2000, the remediation of industrial legacy sites. A special showpiece is tandem steam engine No. 7, built in Aschersleben in 1911, with 1,500 horsepower, which was in operation until the blooming mill was shut down in 1990. It was restored from 2000 to 2008 and has been open to visitors from April to October since 2009.

Highlights

• Steam engine No. 7 from 1911 at its original location
• Models on iron smelting from the bloomery furnace to the blast furnace
• Products of the "Löwen-Email" from the Thale enameling plant
• Section on the environmental history of the industrial site
• Audio guide with 24 listening stations in German and English

Permanent exhibitions

• Auf den Spuren des Eisens – Industriegeschichte des Eisenhüttenwerks Thale – Models, products, and documents show the path from the sheet-metal works of 1686 to the large-scale operation of the 20th century. One section is devoted to the environmental consequences and the remediation of legacy contamination.
• Dampfmaschine Nr. 7 – The 1,500-horsepower rolling-mill steam engine from 1911 drove the blooming mill until 1990. Can be seen on tours from April to October.

Founded

1986

Operated by

Geschichts- und Hüttenmuseumsverein Thale am Harz e. V.

Admission & discounts

Members of the museum association have free admission. Schoolchildren and children aged 11 and over pay €3 in a group for the museum and tour. Cashless payment possible.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• 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

According to the tourism portal, partially accessible; ask the museum for details.

Kids & families

• Hands-on stations

Children up to age 10 have free admission. In the exhibition, models can be operated; there are smell and touch samples.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit