Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Musée textile de la Haute-Alsace is housed in the former royal factory of Wesserling fabrics, founded in 1762 by Jean-Henri Dollfus, a visionary industrialist. This site, one of the oldest and largest in Europe in its field, illustrates the golden age of the Alsatian textile industry, marked by innovative techniques and exceptional craftsmanship. The factory is part of the flourishing economic context of the 18th century, when Alsace, then French province, became a major centre of textile production.

The Indian – these printed cotton fabrics – have a tremendous success in Europe, competing only with imports from the Indian companies. Wesserling benefits from its proximity to Mulhouse, the industrial capital, and a skilled workforce. In the 19th century, the site modernized with the arrival of the industrial revolution: mechanization of the trades, use of steam and development of chemical dyes.

The buildings are expanding, from modest workshops to a multi-hectare complex, including employers' homes, workshops and even a school for workers. These changes reflect the adaptation to growing market demands. Manufacturing plays a key role during world wars, producing fabrics for uniforms or technical canvases.

After 1945, in the face of international competition, activity gradually declined until the definitive closure in 1971. This decline marks the end of an industrial era, but preserves a unique architectural and technical heritage. Since the 1990s, the site has been rehabilitated as a museum and cultural park, classifying some buildings as Historic Monuments (1993).

Today, it combines heritage conservation – with still functional time machines – and contemporary creation, welcoming exhibitions, artist residences and educational workshops. The museum highlights the Alsatian textile heritage, from handicrafts to current fashion. Wesserling Park, labeled Remarkable Garden, completes the tour with its French-style gardens and landscaped spaces inspired by textile motifs.

This hybrid place, between industrial memory and cultural dynamism, attracts researchers, tourists and history enthusiasts. It also bears witness to the challenges of converting brownfields into living spaces. Finally, the museum participates in national heritage networks, such as the European Textile Heritage Route, and collaborates with institutions such as the Musées de France.

Its collections, rich in thousands of samples and archives, make it a reference centre for studying printing techniques and dress trends from the 18th to the 20th centuries.

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