
Tuchfabrik Gebr. Pfau
Completely preserved cloth factory with a working machine park, steam engine and permanent exhibition on textile and city history.
Over het museum
In 1859, Friedrich and Antonie Pfau founded a hand-weaving workshop in Crimmitschau. In 1885, a new factory building with a boiler house and chimney was built at the corner of Leipziger Straße and Sahntalstraße, combining all steps of woolen cloth production. After a major fire in 1899, the sons Otto and Adolph rebuilt the business under the name Gebr. Pfau; in 1916 the purchase of a neighboring spinning mill and dye works doubled the site. The workforce took part in the great Crimmitschau textile workers' strike of 1903/04.
In East Germany, the family business had to accept state participation in 1957, was nationalized in 1972 as VEB Modetuche and became part of VEB Volltuchwerke Crimmitschau in 1974. Production ended in 1990; the buildings and machines were placed under heritage protection as an ensemble, and planning for a museum began. A friends' association was founded in 1993, the city bought the site in 1995, and renovation began in 1996. Since 1999, the Zweckverband Sächsisches Industriemuseum (Saxon Industrial Museum association) has run the factory with its own staff; until 2012 it was called the Westsächsisches Textilmuseum.
What makes it special is the largely original stock of buildings and machines, a large part of which still runs and is demonstrated on tours. In 2020 the factory was the venue of the 4th Saxon State Exhibition on industrial culture. In May 2024, the permanent exhibition "Textil. Welt. Stadt Crimmitschau" opened, combining raw materials, techniques, East German fashion and the city's history – so the cloth factory also takes on the role of a city museum.
Hoogtepunten
- Originally preserved full cloth factory with running textile machines
- Factory tour with machine demonstration, with the steam engine on Fridays
- Permanent exhibition "Textil. Welt. Stadt Crimmitschau" with East German fashion
- History of the Crimmitschau textile workers' strike of 1903/04
- Dyers' garden with historic dye plants
Vaste collectie
- Textil. Welt. Stadt Crimmitschau – Exhibition covering 400 m² on textile raw materials, production techniques and East German fashion, linked with the city's history from the textile pioneer Oehler through the 1903/04 strike to today's textile industry.
- Fabrikrundgang mit Maschinenvorführung – Guided walk through the original machine rooms from wool tufts to finished cloth, with a demonstration of the historic machines.
- Opgericht
- 1999
- Beheerder
- Zweckverband Sächsisches Industriemuseum
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
| Volwassenen | € 6 |
|---|---|
| Met korting | € 4Children aged 6 and over, students, people with a severe disability ID (Schwerbehindertenausweis), holders of the Chemnitz-Pass, Sächsische Ehrenamtskarte, Sozialpass, Sächsische Familienkarte, Crimmitschau-Pass or the annual pass of the Kreislichen Museen Bautzen |
| Kinderen & jongeren | € 4gratis t/m 5 jaar · Children aged 6 and over pay the reduced price. |
| Mensen met een beperking | € 4begeleider gratis · Concession with a valid severe disability ID (Schwerbehindertenausweis). |
| Studenten | € 4 |
| Groepen (vanaf 10 pers.) | € 5 p.p.Groups of 10 or more people: adults €5, concessions €3 per person. Tours outside the 14:00 slots for a flat fee (maximum 25 people). |
| Gezinnen | € 14Maximum 2 adults and 2 children aged 6 to 18; with guided tour €22. |
| Guided tour (in addition to admission) | € 5Reduced €3. |
| Family ticket with guided tour | € 22 |
| Zweckverband ticket (one-time admission to all museums of the Zweckverband Sächsisches Industriemuseum) | € 25Reduced €15. |
Also free: supervisors of children's and school groups, members of the Museumsbund and ICOM, and of the friends' association. Workshops cost €8 (up to 120 minutes) or €15 (120–200 minutes) in addition to admission, reduced €5 or €10; a vacation day €8.
Toegankelijkheid
- Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
- Lift
- Aangepast toilet
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
- Hulphonden welkom
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie: geen informatie
The spinning mill building with the permanent exhibition can be reached without steps via ramps or elevator (doors mostly not automatic), with a tactile floor guidance system, pyramid and Braille lettering, and an accessible restroom. Tactile model of the entire complex in front of the spinning mill building. Tours for people with visual or cognitive impairments. Parking directly next to the entrance; the event room in the weaving mill can be reached by ramp.
Kinderen & gezin
Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen
| Toegang kinderen | gratis t/m 5 jaar |
|---|---|
| Gezinsticket | € 14 · Maximum 2 adults and 2 children aged 6 to 18; with guided tour €22. |
- Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
- Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
- Doe- en voelstations
The permanent exhibition offers films as well as audio and hands-on stations. Workshops such as "Schafwiese" (weaving in a playful way) or on industrialization, a GPS rally through the city and a vacation program with registration; the museum rally is possible during vacations without registration.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met het openbaar vervoer
Tuchfabrik bzw. Leitelshainer Straße
From Crimmitschau station about a 20-minute walk or 5 minutes by bus lines 159 or 160.
Met de auto
Parkeerplaats aanwezig
Visitor parking directly at the museum on Sahntalstraße. For festivals and larger events, use the parking lots on Waldstraße and at the ice stadium, from where it is a walk through the Sahnpark.
The entrance is on Sahntalstraße. By car via the A4, exits Schmölln or Meerane.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Café
- Restaurant: niet aanwezig
- Museumwinkel
- Garderobe
- Kluisjes
Museum cafe in the spinning mill building with coffee, non-alcoholic drinks, cake and ice cream, with seating in the dyers' garden in nice weather. Museum shop with gifts and literature on the textile industry and city history. Bags larger than A4 and wet clothing must stay in cloakroom lockers.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
- Ruimtes te huur
- Privéfeesten
- Zakelijke evenementen
- Bruiloften / trouwceremonies
Museum cafe in the spinning mill building (approx. 100 m², only outside opening hours), Saal Schererei in the weaving mill (approx. 230 m²) and a small meeting room; birthdays, conferences, company parties and weddings, with a guided tour on request.
Aanvragen & detailsJe bezoek plannen
| Rondleidingen | ja · duur ca. 1,5 uur |
|---|---|
| Aanbod voor scholen | ja |
| Fotograferen | Photography for private purposes without flash is allowed; tripods and drones only with written permission. |
| Goed om te weten | The machine park can only be viewed on a guided tour, registration recommended (maximum 25 people per tour). The steam engine is demonstrated during the Friday tour (except on public holidays). Group tours by advance registration also outside opening hours. |





