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Plans for a new Industrial Museum in Soller
The Nova Fabrica building will be turned into a museum
An industrial museum is to be housed inside the old Nova Fabrica textile factory in Soller. The museum will focus on the history of textiles and food production in Soller, from the Industrial Revolution through to the 21st century.
The museum should be open to the public in less than two years. The factory building is still owned by the prominent Soller family of Adele Oliver and was a major textile mill in Soller. The factory closed in 1971 and has been deteriorating over the past few years.
When Adele Oliver died in 2002 she said that the council could have 50% ownership as long as they made the building into a museum but if they didn't do this within 10 years then they would have to hand it back to the family. As this 10 year deadline has passed, the concil must relinquish it's half-ownership of the building.
And now, local businessman Franz Kraus from Fet a Soller has stepped into the breach and will work with the Oliver family to bring the project to life. An investment of between €1 and €2 million is expected to be required.
Fet a Soller - "made in Soller" - also focuses on promoting the town as a significant contributor throughout history of local produce such as ice-cream, oranges, oil, olives, liqueurs and also gas, electricity and railway industry.
The Soller council will contribute to the investment and gain ownership of 50% of the factory building. The museum is expected to create 50 jobs.
Read more about Textiles from Mallorca.
