The Iserlohn manufacturers Duncker and Maste built a brass rolling mill on the Baarbach north of Iserlohn in the early 19th century. The hydropower was used to operate the machines. Initially, a roller and an annealing furnace building along with a water wheel were built.
In the course of time numerous other buildings were built: a foundry, a stamping house, a soldering smithy, a grinding building, a wire drawing shop and an iron foundry. An Ahlenschmiede, a sand house, a steel mill and a file maker also emerged.
In addition to needles, furniture and door fittings, door handles, ringing sledges, table bells and candlesticks were produced and exported worldwide.
In 1850, the co-owner Duncker left, so that the company remained entirely in the Maste family.
After the First World War, parts of the factory premises were sold or leased. The production was closed.
From 1923 to 1952, the Gebr. Jost oHG leased the buildings and open spaces and operated a metal smelting, metal trading and metal wet processing (metal washing).
In the 1960s the idea came up to make the preserved buildings accessible to the public as an industrial museum. The buildings were listed and were acquired by the city of Iserlohn in 1981. As a result, construction of a museum and artist village began in 1985.