Civilization without wire? Unthinkable! This seemingly inconspicuous material has always played a key role in technical progress. Altena, the center of the German wire industry since the Middle Ages, is also home to the German Wire Museum(link to 360° images). It is located 300 meters below Burg Altena. Under the motto "From chain mail to superconductors", the technical history of wire is presented as well as its social, economic and cultural history.
How is wire produced, under what conditions did the wire pullers work, what can wire do, what products is it processed into, what do future applications of wire look like, how do we deal with wire in language, what do artists do with wire?
These and other questions are answered with the help of a contemporary, varied presentation and exciting objects and experiments.(Video to get you in the mood)
During guided tours, all wire drawing machines are put into operation. A very special experience are the two children's programs "Zöger von Altena" and "Alles aus Draht", which can also be booked as a children's birthday party. Every first Sunday of the month, the museum offers free guided tours. Participation in the guided tour is free of charge, only the museum entrance fee has to be paid. As a combination ticket, the admission ticket also entitles the holder to visit the Burg Altena museums. The guided tour starts at 11.00, 14.00 and 16.00 each day.
The German Wire Museum is an anchor point on the valley route of the European Route of Industrial Heritage and an attraction of WasserEisenLand.