Museum

General information:

The museum of Butzbach was newly built from 1990-1994. In the old part of the building, visitors can visit a variety of sections: “The Butzbach area during the Roman Times”, located in the vaulted cellar, featuring numerous original finds and replicas, models, many drawn reconstructions illustrating the military and civil life in the Wetterau almost exactly 2000 years ago. “History of the Solms-Braunfels Court and Vicinity” is located on the ground floor. The first floor features the “City History of Butzbach from the early beginnings to Industrialisation” in six (very different and originally designed) rooms, featuring archaeological objects, many models (e.g. the complete old part of the town as it existed in 1832), original furniture, pictures, weapons, flags and scenic settings. Another highlight in the Museum is the Folcloristic Department, which was completed in time for the Hessentag 2007 festivities and presents the Huettenberg and Wetterau traditional dress, as well as demonstrations of life in the old villages (2nd floor). In the center section of the museum complex, linking the old and the new wing of the museum, a museum shop (with cafeteria) is located, offering lots of information to visitors, including written material.

On the ground floor, the new wing of the museum houses the section “Craft and Trade in Old Butzbach”, representing various trades of the time, reconstructing settings and exhibits/objects referring to the history of the guilds. The elaborately designed section ”Butzbach during the Industrialisation Period” – set in a modern surrounding - deals with the structural conditions of industrialisation, electrification, factory work, the working class and a number of local firms. There are also major settings displaying the trade of shoe making (in a shoe-maker’s shop as well as in a shoe factory production room with shoe making machines and a salesroom) or “Newspapers” (providing an insight into the printing technique of the “Butzbacher Zeitung” – Butzbach Daily).

We also recommend a visit to the unique, world-famous Miniature Shoe Museum, which was created over decades by Richard Fenchel (ret.), an industrial shoe maker (died in 2000). In the new part of the museum, visitors will also find two rooms dedicated to special exhibitions, and reserved for numerous events of this kind throughout the year. In addition, the museum is linked with the remarkable Municipal Archives featuring an extensive material collection and abundant library. The Weidig Research Archives, with a large collection of graphics referring to the Revolution of 1848/49 (”A.W. Heil Collection”) should also be mentioned in this context.