Museum der Strohverarbeitung

Current exhibitions

About the museum

The museum was founded in 1992 by volunteers of the Heimat- und Bürgerverein Twistringen in order to preserve the history of straw in the town for future generations. Today the association Museum der Strohverarbeitung Twistringen e. V. runs the museum. It shows historical straw-processing equipment and demonstrates on its tours how products were made on old machines.

Around 1700, the inhabitants of the parish of Twistringen began to make braids and later hats from the long rye straw grown on the good soils. Home work provided many large families with little land with a supplementary income. At the end of the 19th century straw sleeves for bottle packaging were added, and in the 20th century drinking straws. Around 1930 up to 2,000 people worked in the industry, and Twistringen was considered the most important location of the straw industry in northern Germany.

From about 1960 synthetic materials displaced straw products, and most businesses closed. Today the museum commemorates this and also shows that machines for processing natural and man-made fibres are still built in Twistringen.

Highlights

• Demonstration of straw-hat sewing
• Historical straw-processing machines
• Straw sleeves (“Malotten”), drinking straws and mats
• Historical photos of home work

Permanent exhibition

• Strohverarbeitung in Twistringen – The permanent exhibition explains the raw material, hat making, Malotten, straws, Docken and mats, and shows the development of the straw industry over 300 years.

Founded

1992

Operated by

Museum der Strohverarbeitung Twistringen e. V.

Admission & discounts

Catering for groups on request.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• 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

All areas of the main exhibition are reachable without steps; ramp to the entrance, stair lift to the second floor.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

Group visits can be booked with refreshments.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Weddings / ceremonies

Civil weddings in a specially prepared wedding room in the museum.

Plan your visit