Uhrenindustriemuseum Villingen-Schwenningen

Current exhibitions

About the museum

Schwenningen was once considered the largest clockmaking town in the world. It all began in 1855 with Johannes Bürk's Württembergische Uhrenfabrik, the first factory in the town and the first clock factory in Württemberg. Its buildings, now protected landmarks, were mostly built in the 1890s, and a boiler house with steam engines was added around 1900. With the decline of the clock industry, the company had to file for bankruptcy in 1984.

The town council had already decided to establish an industrial museum. After partial demolition, the remaining factory building was renovated and converted into apartments and museum spaces. Dedicated local residents collected machines, tools, documents, and clocks, and in 1990 founded the Förderkreis Lebendiges Uhrenindustriemuseum (friends' association). The museum opened in the former factory halls on December 10, 1994; rooms for temporary exhibitions were added in 1999, and in 2003 it received the Luigi Micheletti Award of the European Museum Forum.

At its heart is the historic machine hall, where visitors can follow the production of an alarm clock from raw material to finished product. Volunteers demonstrate the machines and build a mechanical twin-bell alarm clock in the museum workshop – according to the museum, the last such production in Europe. Other topics include women's work, strikes, and the variety of Schwenningen products, from watchman's clocks to time clocks. The museum is part of the Städtische Museen Villingen-Schwenningen (municipal museums).

Highlights

• Historic machine hall of the Württembergische Uhrenfabrik with working machines
• Step-by-step production of a mechanical alarm clock
• Museum workshop where volunteers build the museum's alarm clock
• Night watchman's control clocks by Johannes Bürk
• 2003 Luigi Micheletti Award of the European Museum Forum

Permanent exhibitions

• Menschen, Maschinen, Zeiten – Permanent exhibition on the region's clock industry featuring the historic machine hall of the Bürk clock factory, where the production of an alarm clock around 1930 can be traced, plus topics such as women's work and strikes.

Founded

1994

Operated by

Stadt Villingen-Schwenningen (Städtische Museen)

Director

Dr. Martina Baleva

Admission & discounts

Free admission with the Upper Rhine Museums-PASS-Musées, DreiWelten-Card, and SchwarzwaldCard. The website does not say who qualifies for the reduced rate.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• 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

According to the museum, the entrance and exhibition areas are wheelchair-accessible, and there is an accessible restroom. Dogs are not allowed in the museum.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Kids’ birthday parties

Children's tours and holiday programs, e.g., the flashlight tour "Licht aus!" (ages 5–12) or alarm clock design for elementary school children (1.5 hrs each), plus kindergarten tours. Children's birthday parties can be booked.

Getting there & parking

A 81 (exit 35), then continue via B 27/B 33.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

Museum shop with the mechanical museum alarm clock made in the museum workshop, skeleton clock, and other collectibles (also available by order request).

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 40 guests.

Civil wedding ceremonies among the historic machines (booked through the Villingen-Schwenningen registry office), champagne reception for up to 40 people by arrangement, short guided tours on request.

Plan your visit