German Watch Museum Glashütte: Happy Birthday Astronomical Art Clock! Glashütte's masterpiece gets its own book.
One hundred years ago, on October 17, 1925, the astronomical clock of the German Clock Museum Glashütte was completed by its builder Hermann Goertz.
With its monumental appearance and numerous displays, the art clock is undoubtedly one of the highlights of any museum visit. And for the clock museum, this milestone birthday is naturally a reason to celebrate.
On the anniversary day, the museum was open all day at a reduced admission price, and museum staff were available to provide explanations and answer questions about the astronomical clock. In the evening, a new book about the astronomical clock was also presented to invited guests.
It is entitled "A Piece of Eternity" and is now available in the Clock Museum and in the museum's online shop.
New book on the astronomical clock presented
The publication begins with a chapter on the history of timekeeping. This chapter first explains the astronomical principles upon which calendars were derived and ultimately clocks were developed.
Chapter two is dedicated to the creator of the art clock, Hermann Goertz. His eventful life and his time in Glashütte are traced in great detail – more than three decades of which were accompanied by his work on his "great clock".
Chapters three and four describe the watch, its functions and technical features, as well as its past revisions. They are the highlight and goal of the publication.
Following overhauls in 1938, 1956, 1984, and 2004, the most recent was the fifth major service of the clock. It was completed at the end of August 2025. The documentation of this service formed the basis for the book and provides interesting insights into the work carried out.
For the first time in the clock's history, some parts of the movement were replaced with new ones. This became necessary because these parts showed signs of wear after almost 100 years of operation. The museum decided to take this step to ensure the clock's continued functionality.
The replaced original parts are carefully stored and presented in a specially constructed model.
Special exhibition “TIME JUMP”
Since September, a Special exhibition the Astronomical Clock. Under the title "TIME JUMP", visitors embark on a journey back in time to 1925, when the clock was completed.
Using different themes, the technical and social conditions of the time are brought to life, and the challenges Hermann Goertz had to overcome while working on his masterpiece are shown.
In addition, the exhibition offers vivid insights into the inner workings of the clock. Key elements include the perpetual calendar, the astronomical functions, and the materials used in the construction of the movement.
The exhibition is accompanied by a dedicated app. Audio files on the individual themes allow visitors to immerse themselves even more deeply in the time of the clock's creation. Along with these, there are short puzzles to solve.
A special feature of the app is a time machine. Here, too, small tasks must be solved, and at the end, a unique insight into the art clock is revealed. Other activities are also encouraged in the exhibition: whether creating a technical drawing at the drawing table or trying out a 3D model of the art clock's perpetual calendar.
The special exhibition can be viewed during the regular opening hours of the Clock Museum, Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.
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