Sometimes you get the good fortune that a museum building is almost as interesting as the museum’s actual exhibits. This is exactly the case at the Forest Farmers’ Museum in Gutenstein in the Piesting Valley. An “Alte Hofmühle” (old farm mill) built in 1576 serves as the home of a museum dedicated to the sideline occupations of forest farmers.
The forest farmers undertook a wide variety of tasks to ensure their survival. Thirteen workshops showcase their crafts: from basket weavers, woodcutters, carpenters, lime burners, charcoal burners, resin tappers, and wheelwrights to teamsters. In the adjacent open-air museum, visitors can see an original sawmill from Oberpiesting; during the summer season, the waterwheel is even in operation. In 2015, the Gutenstein Forest Farmers’ Museum celebrated its 50th anniversary.
A visit to the Gutenstein Forest Farm Museum can also be wonderfully combined with a trip along the Piesting Valley Bike Trail.
Lower Austria CARD: One-time admission including a guided tour and free documentary films
