Zündholzmuseum Grafenwiesen
Municipal museum in Grafenwiesen on the history of match production in the Bavarian Forest, with labels, match ship models and a short film.
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About the museum
The Zündholzmuseum commemorates the match industry in Grafenwiesen. In 1929/30 an Austrian engineer took over the local factory and founded the Zündholzfabrik Allemann, which produced "Welthölzer" and "Haushaltsware" during Germany's match monopoly. In the 1950s and 1960s it was the largest industrial employer in the area, with around 300 employees. With the end of the monopoly in 1983 and the cessation of match production in 1985, this era came to an end; the company now makes doors and gates.
As part of village renewal, the municipality sought around the year 2000 a way to document the wood processing in the valley of the Weißer Regen in a museum, and acquired an extensive private collection. The municipality of Grafenwiesen opened the Zündholzmuseum in 2007, on the upper floor of a house near the parish church.
The permanent exhibition traces the path from small-scale trades to specialized large industry and, through a short film, shows the connections to match factories in Sušice in the Czech Republic. Also on display are curious match containers and handicrafts, including ships made of matches from the estate of a model shipbuilder. A cabinet hosts rotating thematic label exhibitions.
Highlights
- History of match production in Grafenwiesen
- Short film on match history in Grafenwiesen and Sušice in the Czech Republic
- Match ship model "Adler von Lübeck"
- Curious match containers and handicrafts
- Rotating label exhibitions in the cabinet
Permanent exhibition
- Geschichte der Zündholzherstellung in Grafenwiesen – A tour from small-scale trades to large industry, with a film documentary, curious match containers and handicrafts, and a cabinet for rotating label displays.
- Founded
- 2007
- Operated by
- Gemeinde Grafenwiesen
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 15 · Children up to age 15 have free admission. |
| Groups | €2.50 per personPer person without a tour; with a tour, €3 per person. |
Free admission for holders of the Ehrenamtscard (volunteer card).
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- 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
Access is via the staircase and is not barrier-free; the exhibition rooms are on one level on the upper floor.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bahnhaltestelle Grafenwiesen
By car
Parking available
Parking for cars and buses directly in front of the museum building.
The museum is located at Schönbuchener Straße 31, near the parish church and on the edge of the Kurpark; two oversized match boxes mark the way.
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 |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Group tours by telephone arrangement through the Grafenwiesen tourist information office (09941 9403-17). A short film (BR, 12 minutes) plays in the media room. |