The museum commemorates the beginnings and development of the first ironworks in the region with an exhibition about the "cradle of the Ruhr industry". Important personalities from the steel industry helped shape the history of the site. The plant once produced pans, pots, ammunition and machine parts.
It is the nucleus of the steel industry in the region: the St. Antony ironworks. It gave rise to the global Gutehoffnungshütte group. In 1757, pig iron flowed here for the first time - in the northern suburb of Klosterhardt in the city of Oberhausen and in the middle of a residential area. Important figures in the industry such as Jacobi, Haniel, Krupp and Wenge came and went, lived and worked in the plant.
Today's museum commemorates the beginnings and development of the Ruhr region's first ironworks with an exhibition on the "cradle of the Ruhr industry". On 225 square meters in the former director's house, visitors can see how production and work took place on site. A diagram illustrates the relationships of the first ironworks owners. Exhibits from production such as documents and contemporary testimonies tell exciting everyday stories.
Guests can visit the excavation site
In the LVR Industrial Archaeological Park opposite, the impressive history of the smelter is brought back to life with the excavated remains of the old factory. Film sequences and a miniature model of the old plant bring it back to life on the 1000 square meter excavation site and illustrate how pots and pans, ammunition and machine parts were made here. Until its closure in 1877, the St. Antony Ironworks mainly manufactured iron and steel products, but also produced paper for a short time.
Thanks to a futuristic steel roof that spans the park like a shell, it is easy to visit even in bad weather. In addition to the St. Antony Ironworks, the LVR Industrial Museum in Oberhausen also includes the former Altenberg zinc factory and the Eisenheim Museum, the oldest workers' settlement in the Ruhr region. Fans of industry and culture will find the zinc factory right next to the main railway station. However, it is expected to be closed for renovation until 2025. The Eisenheim Museum is located in the Osterfeld district. Both locations can be easily reached on a day trip by car, train or bus.
