Steinhuder Museums: Fishermen's and Weavers' Museum / Toy Museum

In May 2012, two museums in Steinhude merged both physically and in name: the Fishermen's and Weavers' Museum and the Toy Museum. Together, they are now housed under one roof under the name "Steinhuder Museen."

Fishing and Weaving Museum

The Fishermen’s and Weavers’ Museum was opened in 1989 by the Förderverein Heimatmuseum Steinhuder Meer e.V. in a house built in 1850. In terms of its layout—entrance hall, parlor, kitchen, living and work room, bedroom, pantry, and inner courtyard with stables—the building largely corresponds to the standards of the period in which it was built. Most of the original furnishings from the house, which was inhabited until 1984, were preserved. They thus document the living and economic conditions of a typical Steinhuder family over the past 100 years.

In the old days, work and life took place under one roof: Weaving was done in the living area, which was raised slightly, while the parlor was only opened on Sundays. The kitchen provided heat to the study through a small window.

The museum displays rare woven artifacts spanning three centuries, including the unique “seamless shirt,” exquisite tapestry, and an exhibition on the history of fishing. In the covered courtyard, two typical vessels from the Steinhuder Meer are on display: a peat barge and a fishing boat, both without keels and thus perfectly adapted to the shallow waters of the lake.

Toy museum

Since May 2012, the Toy Museum has been housed in the two-story Spieker building of the Steinhude Museums. The ground floor features toys from the upper middle class dating from around 1860 to 1960. Back then, gender roles were clearly defined: dolls for girls, tin toys for boys. Children played together and with their parents in paper puppet theaters. For most families, however, these valuable toys were unaffordable.

On the upper floor, visitors can get an overview of the cultural history of toys: from the earliest board games to the action figures of the 1980s. Small play stations and themed displays offer a fun, interactive history lesson.

The Steinhude Museums present two to three special exhibitions each year, and a large arts-and-crafts market is organized before Easter and before Christmas.
On special event days, traditional crafts are regularly brought back to life, and cultural events take place in the covered courtyard.

A blog provides updates on what's happening in the day-to-day life of the museum.

Source: Steinhuder Museums