The museum is divided into 3 sections. The Shoe section, Ethnic groups, and Applied Arts. Their website is quite good at describing all of these along with a good slide show for each of them to give you a good idea about what is exhibited. The Ethnic section starts sounding interesting when you begin thinking about those cultures that depend almost completely on leather, like the Inuit or the Plains Indians. The American Cowboy is also featured - which is very unique for a European museum, as well as fascinating exhibitions from several cultures in Africa and Asia. They have a huge collection of rare shadow puppets from Thailand, India, China and Indonesia. I had never seen anything like these before. The Applied Arts section has not only beautiful and antique objects such as Napoleons briefcase, Goethes' hatbox and gorgeously worked leather boxes and books, but also a huge handbag collection both new and old. They have also included a small section on how leather is tanned and worked which is interesting in itself.
The Leather Museum is located in Offenbach, which is sort of a suburb of Frankfurt, but it is easy and quick to get there with the S-bahn. Take S-1,S-2,S-8,or S-9 and get off at the Offenbach Ledermuseum stop. Go out the exit direction Ludwigstrasse. The address is Frankfurter Strasee 86.
They are open Tues. thru Sun. from 10:00 - 17:00
Prices: Adults - 5 €, Kids 4 and up - 2 €, Seniors - 2.50 €, Families - 8 €
Great museum to come visit on the Night of the Museums. Ride the shuttle bus out here or take the S-bahn.
www.ledermuseum.de/DLM/frames_e/hfr_in_e.html
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