Overview

Offenbach has been the mainstay of Germany's leather industry since the late 18th Century. Founded in 1917, the German Leather Museum documents the history of leather production throughout the ages. You can start by learning about the different techniques of leather making, and also visit exhibitions which illustrate the many uses of leather. Articles on display include ancient leather wall coverings, medieval boxes and Goethe's original hat case as well as contemporary products and modern works of art. The museum also houses an ethnological exhibition, a shoe museum containing items ranging from a Roman soldier's sandals from the 1st Century CE to the latest high heels and a museum for Applied Art which houses European artifacts from the Medieval ages, as also modern leather goods. Some of these innovative wares are also on sale.