technikum29
Private computer museum in Kelkheim with working computers, punch-card machines and teleprinters from the 1920s to the 1980s.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Physics teacher Heribert Müller founded the technikum29 in November 2005 in a former savings bank branch in Kelkheim-Hornau. The “29” in the name comes from the house number on Flachsland; “Technikum” once referred to an engineering college. Müller died in April 2018; afterward a volunteer group took over operations, and in 2019 plans for a non-profit association to preserve the museum were discussed.
The collection focuses on the period from the 1920s to the 1980s, from mechanical calculating through punch-card data processing to computers with integrated circuits. On about 250 square meters there are, among other things, several Univac data-processing installations, a full park of punch-card machines, teleprinters, early fax machines, and radios and televisions. The museum's aim is to show every device in working order; instead of display panels, there are demonstrations by experts.
Devices may be touched and used, and there are no barriers. In 2024 the museum also acquired a central depot in the center of Kelkheim; in November 2025 it celebrated its 20th anniversary.
Highlights
- Working Univac data-processing installations
- Complete set of punch-card machines
- Mechanical calculators, teleprinters and early fax machines
- Radios and televisions from the computer era
- Guided tours with demonstrations of the devices by experts
Permanent exhibitions
- Computergeschichte der 1920er- bis 1980er-Jahre – Mechanical calculators, punch-card data processing, mainframes and computers with integrated circuits are demonstrated in working order.
- Lochkarten-Gerätepark – Cabinet-sized machines for each individual processing step of punch-card data processing, some of which can be folded open.
- Kommunikationstechnik – Radio, television, teleprinters and early fax machines from the era of computer development.
- Founded
- 2005
- Operated by
- Privates Museum, ehrenamtlich betrieben
- Director
- Dr. Roland Langfeld und Dr. Sven Köppel (kommissarische Leitung)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission is free; donations towards the upkeep of the museum are welcome.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
- Hands-on stations
Devices may be touched and operated.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Kelkheim-Hornau · 5-min walk
RMV line RB12 from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof without a change (about 40 minutes) to Kelkheim-Hornau.
By car
Parking available
Own parking spaces in sufficient number.
The museum is at Flachsland 29; via the A66 and B8 it is about 20 minutes by car from central Frankfurt and from the airport.
Get directionsAmenities & 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 · approx. 2 hrs |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Tours last about 2 to 2.5 hours, or longer if you are interested: after an introduction to the museum's history, typical devices of the early computer era are demonstrated, such as punch-card machines, teleprinters, early fax machines, calculating machines, and computers from the 1950s to the 1970s. There are no information panels. The meeting point is at the entrance on the right side of the building, about half an hour before the start (through the gate, bell on the left of the glass door); punctual arrival is important. |
