Museumsfabrik Pritzwalk

About the museum

The roots of the Pritzwalk museum go back to the 1930s, when a local history association set up a small local history room. After the Second World War, its holdings were merged with rescued parts of the collection from the destroyed museum in Heiligengrabe. On August 14, 1954, the Kreisheimatmuseum (district local history museum) opened in the historic Salzmagazin (salt warehouse), initially with a small exhibition; its first director was Albert Guthke.

After German reunification, the Gesellschaft für Heimatgeschichte Pritzwalk und Umgebung took over as operator in 1998. The museum moved to the grounds of the Schraube brewery at the Meyenburger Tor and opened in 2002 as the Stadt- und Brauereimuseum (city and brewery museum), which made brewery history a new focus of the collection.

In 2018, rooms in the neighboring Gebrüder Draeger uniform cloth factory were added; since then the museum has been called Museumsfabrik Pritzwalk and has more than 1,500 square meters of exhibition space. A half-timbered bridge connects the two buildings. The permanent exhibition is devoted to industrialization in rural areas, and the museum print shop with the inventory of the Pritzwalk printing house Tienken is integrated into it. The collection comprises around 32,000 objects from prehistory and early history to the GDR era.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition on industrialization in the Gebrüder Draeger cloth factory
• City history in the storage cellar of the Schraube brewery from 1863
• Museum print shop with hands-on letterpress and screen printing
• Historic weaving mill
• Half-timbered bridge between the cloth factory and the brewery

Permanent exhibitions

• Museumsfabrik – Industrialisierung in der Prignitz – Textile and printing machines, everyday objects, and media stations show how factories have transformed the small town, its people, and the environment in the Prignitz since the 19th century.
• Stadtgeschichte – In the storage cellar of the Schraube brewery, four rooms lead from the Stone Age through treasure finds and urban disasters to brewery history.
• Museumsdruckerei – The workshop of the Pritzwalk printing house Tienken documents letterpress printing in the early 20th century and is used for printing programs.

Founded

1954

Operated by

Gesellschaft für Heimatgeschichte Pritzwalk und Umgebung e.V.

Director

Lars Schladitz

Admission & discounts

Free admission with the Ehrenamtskarte Berlin-Brandenburg and for press, members of ICOM, the Deutscher Museumsbund, and the Museumsverband Brandenburg, and for accompanying staff during educational programs.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description: no information

Accessible path to the step-free entrance; the lower exhibition hall is at ground level, the upper hall is reached by elevator in the residential building (please ask staff). The exhibition in the brewery can be reached via a wheelchair-accessible bridge and with an elevator accompanied by staff; accessible restrooms in both parts of the building. The lookout tower (about 125 steps) is not accessible to wheelchair users.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities

In the museum print shop and historic weaving mill, visitors can try things out themselves; programs for daycare centers and school classes. Children with the Familienpass Brandenburg have free admission; baby changing table in the accessible restroom.

Getting there & parking

Via the A24 (exits Meyenburg or Heiligengrabe) or the A19, then follow the tourist signs. Entrance in the inner courtyard of the cloth factory. Located on the Prignitz long-distance cycle route (junction 80), bicycle racks available.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Museum café; museum shop with regional literature, souvenirs, regional products, and event tickets in the tourist information office in the entrance area. E-bike batteries can be charged in the museum café.

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit