Museum für Musikinstrumente der Universität Leipzig
One of the world's largest collections of musical instruments: five centuries of music history in Leipzig's GRASSI, plus a sound lab and study collection.
The exhibition for the Paul de Wit theme year introduces the collector, publisher and instrument maker whose collection the museum is based on, and shows many pieces never displayed before.
Om museet
The foundation was laid by Paul de Wit, a music publisher and collector from Maastricht, who from 1886 publicly displayed historic musical instruments in Leipzig and occasionally had them played. Because the city of Leipzig did not acquire the collection, he sold it in 1905 to the Cologne paper manufacturer Wilhelm Heyer, who added further important collections – including those of the Florentine Baron Alessandro Kraus and the piano maker Ibach – and opened it in Cologne in 1913 as the Musikhistorisches Museum.
After Heyer's death, the Saxon state bought the collection in 1926 for the University of Leipzig, with a generous donation from music publisher Henri Hinrichsen (C. F. Peters). The city provided the north wing of the newly built Grassimuseum, where the museum opened on May 30, 1929.
In December 1943 the building burned out after a bombing raid; the pianos of the Ibach collection, the archive and the library were lost, and holdings that had been moved elsewhere were only partly returned. From the early 1950s, the museum was gradually rebuilt and expanded through purchases and donations.
Today the collection comprises around 10,000 objects. The chronological tour "Die Suche nach dem vollkommenen Klang" (The Search for the Perfect Sound) leads through 13 chapters from the Renaissance to the 1950s, highlighting Leipzig's role as a city of music. It is complemented by a study collection with instruments from around the world and a sound lab for trying things out. The museum also serves the university's research and teaching.
Højdepunkter
Fortepiano by Bartolomeo Cristofori from 1726
Playable cinema organ by M. Welte & Söhne with silent film screenings
Positive organ by Stephan Cuntz in the Renaissance hall
Spinet from 1693 made for Ferdinando de' Medici
Automatic musical instruments by the Leipzig company Hupfeld
Sound lab for listening, playing and experimenting
Permanente udstillinger
Die Suche nach dem vollkommenen Klang – Chronological tour from the Renaissance to the 1950s, focusing on Bach, Cristofori, Romanticism, Saxon instrument making and automatic musical instruments; sound samples let you hear the instruments.
Klanglabor – Hands-on area where visitors can try out instruments themselves and explore acoustic phenomena.
Grundlagt
1929
Ejer
Universität Leipzig
Ledelse
Stefan Hindtsche
Entrépriser & rabatter
Voksne
6 €
Nedsat pris
3 €School students, university students, trainees, people with a severe disability ID, holders of the Leipzig-Pass, Leipzig-Card and Ehrenamtspass (volunteer pass)
Børn og unge
gratisgratis til og med 18 år · Children and teens up to age 18 free.
Pensionister
–No senior discount.
Personer med handicap
3 €ledsager gratis · Reduced with a severe disability ID (Schwerbehindertenausweis).
Studerende og elever
3 €Students and staff of the University of Leipzig free; school and student groups free as part of a course.
Grupper (fra 8 pers.)
5 € pr. personGuided tour for 8–25 people: €50 per group plus €5 admission per person; free cancellation up to 48 hours in advance.
Familier
–No family ticket; free admission with the Familienpass Sachsen (Saxony family pass).
Gratis entré:every first Wednesday of the month (exceptions possible)
Cash only. Free admission also for press, ICOM and DMB members. Museum education programs €3 (60 min) or €5 (90 min or more) per person including admission, weekdays only. A joint combined ticket for the three GRASSI museums is currently not offered on the official websites. Concert prices vary by event.
Tilgængelighed
Kørestolsvenlig
Elevator
Handicaptoilet
Handicapparkering
Servicehunde tilladt
Taktile tilbud: ingen oplysninger
Rundvisninger på tegnsprog: ingen oplysninger
Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
Synstolkning: ingen oplysninger
Two accessible parking spaces on the east side (Täubchenweg), from there level access across the courtyard to the entrance; elevator to the right of the entrance stairs up to the ticket foyer, further elevators to all exhibition rooms. Accessible restroom with baby changing table in the ticket foyer, charging point for electric wheelchairs. Free folding stools; guide and signal dogs welcome.
Børn og familie
Velegnet til børn og familier
Entré for børn
gratis til og med 18 år
Familieomvisninger & workshops
Interaktive stationer
Puslerum
On selected Sundays at 14:30, "Familienzeit" (Family Time) with a guided tour followed by hands-on time in the sound lab, where visitors may play instruments themselves; holiday programs for elementary school children with registration. Baby changing tables in the GRASSI's accessible restrooms.
Transport & parkering
Med offentlig transport
Johannisplatz/Grassimuseum
Tram 4, 7, 12, 15 to Johannisplatz/Grassimuseum (two stops from the main train station).
I bil
Parkering muligt
No dedicated parking; the underground parking garage at Augustusplatz is recommended (museum approx. 300 m to the east). Two accessible parking spaces on the east side (Täubchenweg) with level access.
"Café im Grassi" in the building; museum shop (also online). Lockers at the coat check, larger luggage at the ticket desk by arrangement. Free municipal Wi-Fi in the foyers.
Arrangementer & udlejning
Museet har ikke offentliggjort oplysninger om dette – spørg venligst museet direkte.
Planlæg dit besøg
Rundvisninger
ja
Tilbud til skoler
ja
Fotografering
Photography for private purposes permitted, without flash, tripod or selfie stick.
Godt at vide
Public Sunday guided tours, silent film screenings with cinema organ and concerts according to the events calendar. The instruments on display cannot be played, but numerous audio samples and the sound lab invite you to try things out. Book group tours and school programs through visitor services.