Textil- und Rennsportmuseum Hohenstein-Ernstthal

The Textil- und Rennsportmuseum Hohenstein-Ernstthal offers you an exciting blend of industrial textile heritage and legendary motorsport history under one roof. Here you can discover original exhibits and fully functional machines from the Jacquard weaving and stocking production, as well as admire historic racing motorcycles and memorabilia from over nine decades of motorsport at the Sachsenring.

Learn how several generations kept their stockings and get to know the traditional manufacturing processes – a genuine insight into the textile craftsmanship! The exhibition also showcases the origins of famous textile artworks such as the "Röhrende Hirsch" wall murals, which many of you might still remember from your grandparents’ living rooms.

In the Jacquard weaving section, experience the mechanism invented more than 200 years ago that significantly contributed to the development of modern computers and made it possible to weave elaborate wall pictures using numerous punch cards. The stocking and needle felt workshop demonstrates that around 100 years ago up to 6,000 stockings were produced daily – machines for this purpose have been in use since the late 16th century.

Motorsport fans can dive into the legends surrounding the Sachsenring: from motorcycle races to road cyclist Täve Schur’s 1960 vice world championship, to the nickname “Formula 1 of the East.” The exhibition on technical textiles also explains that the GDR’s Formula racing car MT 77 was made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic, and modern high-tech fabrics today include carbon fiber and basalt fiber among others.

Families are warmly invited to participate in the monthly public tours with demonstrations in the weaving and stocking knitting workshops, which take place every fourth Sunday – an interactive experience for young and old alike.