Guided tour of La Encartada Factory Museum

Located in Balmaseda, Enkarterri, La Encartada Fabrika-Museoa is an exceptional testimony to the industrial heritage of the Basque Country. Founded in 1892, this factory was in operation for 100 years and today preserves its facilities intact, allowing visitors to travel back in time to the beginnings of the industrial revolution in the peninsula.

During the century that it remained active, La Encartada was dedicated to working with wool and producing different articles, from berets – its main product – to blankets and clothes, as well as gloves, scarves, visors, balaclavas and, of course, skeins and balls of yarn. A small workers’ quarter developed around the factory, with houses for the workers, a chapel-school, the director’s house (now disappeared), etc.

Today, the museum houses a unique collection of original machinery -mostly English- from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, preserving all the elements of the production process in an exceptional state. Its technical integrity and heritage value make it a unique point of reference for industrial tourism. In addition, La Encartada has been recognized as an example of good practice in the interpretation of heritage from a gender perspective, highlighting the contribution of women in its history.