The Mey Sewing Machine Museum with the collection from Albrecht Mey in Albstadt-Lautlingen is of historical importance. The museum features all of the inventors’ machines (some as reproductions). It boasts what may well be the most fascinating exhibition of historical sewing machines in the world.

To preserve the collection for posterity, it became an incorporated foundation under German civil law on 7 December 1998. The name of the foundation is: Stiftung Nähmaschinen-Museum Sammlung Albrecht Mey (Foundation of the Albrecht Mey Collection at the Sewing Machine Museum)

The foundation was provided with the basic capital required to cover the running costs. The purpose of the foundation is to maintain historical sewing machines which, as an overall collection, reveal the history of the sewing machine. The sewing machine is an invention that has made a very considerable contribution to improving the quality of people’s lives. For that reason alone, this historical collection of machines was compiled to convey this not only to visitors but also, and most importantly, to posterity.

The purpose of the foundation is solely and directly for public benefit. It is a non-profit organisation. The resources of the foundation may only be used for statutory purposes. The foundation can allocate its resources in part to another tax-privileged body or to a public body for use for tax-privileged purposes (German War Graves Commission and similar organisations). Endowments and donations accrue to the assets of the foundation.