The Old Factory in Bielsko-Biała - a reminder of the city's industrial power
Żwirki i Wigury 843-300 Bielsko-Biała
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Where looms once worked...
The Old Factory is a place that shows the time when Bielsko-Biała was one of the most important textile industry centers in Central Europe. Here you can see a collection of historic textile machines that once worked in local factories. The exhibitions show the full process of making fabrics: from preparing the raw material, through spinning and weaving, to finishing the final products.
What can you see when visiting the Old Factory?
You will see large halls with historic machines used to make fabrics, as well as old looms. Information boards explain the topic in an interesting and easy way, so visitors can learn a lot. Some of the most interesting items are brushes made from wild thistles, a large pot used for dyeing fabrics, and shelves full of elegant hats that visitors can try on. A large part of the exhibition also tells the story of the region and how the factory influenced local life.
A factory that tells the story of the city
At its busiest time, the factory employed hundreds of workers and produced high-quality wool fabrics and carpets. In those days, Bielsko-Biała was one of the most important textile centers in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Later, it became the second most important textile industry center in Poland, after Łódź.
After World War II, the factory was nationalized and became part of the "Bewelana" Wool Industry Works. Production continued for many decades. However, economic changes at the end of the 20th century caused many textile factories to close. As a result, industrial activity in these historic buildings came to an end.
From cloth production to a museum: the story of the Old Factory in Bielsko-Biała
The building received a new purpose in 1983, when part of it was used for the Museum of Textile Technology. The museum collected machines, equipment, and documents connected with the history of the local textile industry.
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