Cultural Institutions Museums

The Museum is located in one of the oldest and most beautiful half-timbered houses of Ruhla. The house, located in the centre of Ruhla, was built in 1614 and is a museum since 1906. The exhibition leads through several centuries of local history and shows the artisanal and industrial development of Ruhla.

A focus is the craft of armourers with an intact cutler’s workplace. Other topics of the exhibition are the geology around Ruhla, important personalities who lived and worked in Ruhla and the living conditions of the people from the 18th to the 20th century. The main focus of the exhibition is the tobacco pipe industry, which Ruhla was famous for in the 18th and 19th century. Many beautifully crafted pipes, which were sold all over the world, are displayed in the museum. For example pipes made of wood, porcelain, clay or the famous sepiolite, also known as “meerschaum” which means “sea foam”. The rise of the cigarettes meant the end for the pipe industry. Based on this the metal goods industry, especially the watch industry, became the main source of income for the inhabitants of Ruhla.

Discover the history of Ruhla by a stroll through this unique museum – we are looking forward to your visit. During to winter break it is possible for groups to visit the museum by appointment. Please contact tourist information Ruhla, Tel.: +49 (0) 36929 89013.

Take a 360 degree virtual tour through the Museum for Tobacco Pipes and Local History of Ruhla. For a full-screen view of the tour please click here. (Opens a new window)

The origin for the watch industry in Ruhla was the foundation of a metal goods factory by brothers Christian and Georg Thiel in 1862. They laid the cornerstone for one of the most important national watch industry by inventing and producing the pocket watch “Fearless”.

Over many decades the watch industry was the largest employer in Ruhla and surround. In good years up to 50,000 pieces were produced and shipped every day.

The “Watch and Clock Museum Ruhla” provides an insight in the history of the watch industry Ruhla, from its origins in 1862 to the present day. It presents over 1,300 watches, 35 machines and 50 information boards. The Museum looks forward to your visit!

Take a 360 degree virtual tour through the Watch and Clock Museum Ruhla. For a full-screen view of the tour please click here. (Opens a new window)

The museum is located in the former forester’s house in the centre of Thal. You can explore the history, geology, fauna and flora of the region and learn more about castle ruins Scharfenburg, the monastery “Weißenborn” and witch trials in Thal as well.

The Local Museum Seebach is located in a beautifully reconstructed half-timbered house, which was built over 200 years ago. The exhibition shows on three floors the agricultural and industrial history of Seebach. On the top floor 5 rooms are set up to show the living conditions of a family in 1900.  

Learn about the origin of the Hörselberg Mountains and its mythology, unique fossil records and its divers Fauna and Flora, especially as a habitat for rare orchids. Connected to Hörselberg Mountains are famous personalities, like the fairy tale collector Ludwig Bechstein or Richard Wagner, who composed the Tannhäuser opera. Their works are honoured within the exhibition. The gallery under the barn roof is used for temporary exhibitions with alternating topics.

Focus of the permanent exhibition:

• Geology & Mineralogy of Hörselberg Mountains
• Flora & Fauna of Hörselberg Mountains
• Caves and mythology of Hörselberg Mountains
• Local craft of baking

The museum shows the development of Steinbach, especially the traditional production of cutlery and knives.