Museum Neuthal Textil- & Industriekultur

About the museum

In the hamlet of Neuthal near Bäretswil, a mechanical cotton-spinning mill was established from 1827, drawing its water from several dammed ponds. Over the 19th century the factory grew into a whole ensemble with a workshop, the factory owner's villa, park grounds, workers' boarding houses, and hydropower installations. Under Adolf Guyer-Zeller, who later became known as a railway entrepreneur and builder of the Jungfrau Railway, the operation reached its heyday; turbines, and later a steam engine and electricity, drove the machines.

In the 20th century ownership changed hands, the spinning mill was at times shut down, and it was last used as a weaving mill. The operation was finally closed in 1964. From 1978 the canton of Zürich bought ponds and water rights, and the installations were restored by 1991; in 1988 the canton also took over the factory building in order to create a center for textile history there. The site is regarded as a townscape of national significance.

Today the museum shows across several floors how water power, spinning, weaving, and embroidery shaped the industrialization of the Zürich Oberland. Its collection of working machines is special: it ranges from the hand loom to modern weaving machines and is demonstrated by volunteers. Since 2019 the association "Neuthal Textil- und Industriekultur" has run the museum. The factory building is to be comprehensively renovated in the coming years and the education program redesigned.

Highlights

• Working historical spinning, weaving, and hand-embroidery machines
• Water-power plant with turbines, ponds, and transmission
• Short guided tours every hour on open Sundays
• Family puzzles and a children's trail around the museum
• Arrival by the historic DVZO train from Bauma

Permanent exhibitions

• Wasserkraft – The largely preserved installation with ponds, pressure pipes, and turbines shows how water powered the factory; turbines can be viewed in the basement.
• Spinnerei – Working machines from the 19th and 20th centuries show the path of cotton from bale to yarn.
• Weberei – A collection of weaving machines built between 1860 and 1996 traces the path from the hand loom to modern methods.

Operated by

Verein Neuthal Textil- und Industriekultur (NIK)

Admission & discounts

According to the museum, the Raiffeisen card and the Museumspass/STS are valid. School classes pay CHF 200 per class (in the canton of Zürich, a special School + Culture offer has at times been CHF 150, including a ZVV transit ticket). The hourly short tours are included in the admission price.

Accessibility

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

A parking space for people with walking impairments is available behind the museum. Barrier-free access to the factory building is planned as part of the upcoming renovation.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

Family puzzles with Lina Fadenfroh (recommended from age 6 with an adult, included in admission; children make cotton yarn and weave on a hand loom) and the outdoor children's trail "Der Schatz vom Neuthal" ("The Treasure of Neuthal") with a take-home puzzle book.

Getting there & parking

Neuthal is in the municipality of Bäretswil next to Bauma; on foot it can also be reached from Bauma via the Guyer-Zeller hiking trails. GPS coordinates of the TCS parking lot: 47.358306, 8.864667.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Museum café in the visitor center (coffee, tea, cold drinks, cake, sandwiches) and museum shop with textile souvenirs, open only on Sundays from May to October. Picnic area with a fire pit by the stream.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Room rental and catering for groups of 8 to 40 people in connection with a guided tour.

Plan your visit