Industriemagazin Reutlingen

Industrial museum in the saw-tooth-roofed halls of a former wire-cloth factory in Reutlingen with a steam engine, looms and demonstrated machine tools.

Opening hoursFree admission Wheelchair accessible

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Industriemagazin ReutlingenOpening hoursFree admission

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About the museum

The former free imperial city of Reutlingen developed from the mid-19th century into one of the leading industrial cities in south-west Germany, above all in textiles and mechanical engineering. Since the 1980s the Historische Museen Reutlingen have been collecting evidence of this industrial history.

In 1992 the collection was put into storage in the shed halls of the former Christian Wandel wire-cloth factory and was initially shown at irregular intervals as a visible storage facility, to demonstrate the potential for an industrial museum. Over time this grew into a small museum operation. Since 2007 a working group of volunteers has been restoring the machines and demonstrating them as witnesses to a past industrial era.

On display are a steam engine, looms and knitting machines as well as pillar drilling machines, lathes and a wire-braiding machine. Because the machines are shown and explained in operation, an authentic factory atmosphere is created. A support association backs the museum, and there are dedicated educational programmes for school classes from Year 8.

Highlights

Steam engine and historic looms
Knitting, drilling and wire-braiding machines in operation
Shed halls of the Christian Wandel wire-cloth factory
Demonstrations by volunteer eyewitnesses
Open afternoons on the second Saturday of the month

Permanent exhibition

Sammlung zur Reutlinger Industriegeschichte – Historic machines from the textile and mechanical engineering industries in the shed halls of the former Wandel factory, including a steam engine, looms and a wire-braiding machine, some demonstrated in operation.

Operated by: Historische Museen Reutlingen (Stadt Reutlingen)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Children & teens	–Children and young people up to 18 as well as guests with an AlbCard attend the public tours free of charge.
Groups	–Booked group tours cost €65 per group (Tue–Fri) or €85 (Sat/Sun). For school and trainee groups from the Neckar-Alb region, the IHK Reutlingen covers the costs.
Public tour	€5Free for children and young people up to 18 and guests with an AlbCard

Instead of a fixed admission fee, the museum asks for a voluntary contribution in an amount of your own choosing.

Accessibility

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

There is an entrance suitable for wheelchairs and another suitable for prams.

Kids & families

Stroller-friendly

Getting there & parking

By car

Parking available

Parking at the railway station (multi-storey car park, Burkhardt+Weber-Straße 6) and at Federnseeplatz (Federnseestraße 19).

Get directions

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

Guided tours	yes
School programs	yes
Good to know	At the open afternoon, volunteer eyewitnesses explain and demonstrate the machines. Educational programmes for Years 8 to 13 and trainees.