Technikmuseum Freudenberg

About the museum

It began with a circle of Freudenberg vintage-car tinkerers who founded the association Freunde historischer Fahrzeuge in 1991, today Freunde historischer Technik Freudenberg e. V. The town gave the association the more than hundred-year-old steam engine of the Nöll glue factory, which was demolished in 1972 and which had remained at its original location. The museum grew up around it through some 20,000 hours of volunteer work.

The main building is a half-timbered hall built in 1952 as a sawmill in Steeg near Morsbach, which members dismantled in 1997 and reassembled in Freudenberg; a replica of a fire engine house from around 1900 was added. The technology museum opened in June 2002, and in 2015, as part of the Regionale Südwestfalen program, an extension with a hall and a learning workshop followed.

The core of the exhibition is the machine workshop, where around 25 historic machine tools are driven by line shafts and leather belts and demonstrated. There is also a forge, stationary engines, vintage commercial vehicles and motorcycles, looms, model steam engines, a lavishly restored historic model fairground and a garden railway outdoors. Since 2025, an exhibition on Freudenberg's economic history, covering the glue, leather and felt industries as well as hammer mills, has been part of the permanent exhibition. The museum is run entirely by volunteers.

Highlights

• Steam engine of the Nöll glue factory, more than 100 years old
• Machine workshop with line-shaft drive in operation
• Historic model fairground with around 200 moving figures
• Forge, vintage vehicles and motorcycles
• Permanent exhibition on Freudenberg's economic history
• Garden railway outdoors

Permanent exhibitions

• Dampfmaschine und Maschinenwerkstatt – Historic machine tools driven by line shafts and leather belts and set in motion during demonstrations, built around the old steam engine of the Nöll glue factory.
• Wirtschaftsgeschichte Freudenberg – Multimedia exhibition on glue, leather and felt production and on the town's hammer mills, exemplifying the industry of the Siegerland region.
• Historische Modellkirmes – Restored fairground more than seven meters long with carousels, show booths and around 200 electrically moving figures.

Founded

2002

Operated by

Freunde historischer Technik Freudenberg e. V.

Admission & discounts

Different prices may apply for special exhibitions and events.

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: no information
• Audio description: no information

Two accessible parking spaces right at the museum, step-free entrance, accessible restroom on the first floor. The gallery and the learning workshop can be reached by a wheelchair-accessible elevator, which staff at the ticket desk will operate on request.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations

Many exhibits are in motion, and children may operate some machines with the staff's permission. Parents must supervise their children because of the running machines; visiting without an accompanying adult is only possible from age 15.

Getting there & parking

From the A45 exit Freudenberg toward Freudenberg, at the roundabout in the valley take the third exit, then about 1 km. GPS: Olper Straße 5, 57258 Freudenberg.

Amenities & dining

• Café

Schrauberstübchen (tinkerers' café) on Sundays and open public holidays from 11:00 to 16:30 with coffee, drinks, waffles and sausages.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Gerhard-Kritzler-Saal (approx. 150 m², ground level, presentation technology, stage platform) for conferences, seminars, concerts and cabaret; for larger events, around 200 m² in the machine hall. Cafeteria, studio and learning workshop for group work; catering available.

Plan your visit