Bach-Stammhaus Wechmar
Memorial in Veit Bach's former upper bakehouse in Wechmar, ancestral home of the Bach family of musicians – with a museum of Thuringian minstrels.
About the museum
Wechmar is considered the place of origin of the Bach family of musicians. Around 1590 Veit Bach settled here, working as a miller and baker and making music on the side. He died in 1619 and is regarded as the progenitor of a family that produced numerous musicians over generations – the best known being his great-great-grandson Johann Sebastian Bach.
The former upper bakehouse (Oberbackhaus) where Veit Bach worked was restored and opened as a Bach memorial in 1994. Since 1997 it has also housed the Museum der Thüringer Spielleute und Instrumentenbauer (Museum of Thuringian Minstrels and Instrument Makers). The house is looked after by the friends' association Förderverein Bach-Stammhaus Wechmar.
On the first floor, the former bakery with an oven around a hundred years old, a family tree of Veit Bach's descendants and models of the Bach sites in the village recall the family's beginnings. The upper floor is devoted to Johann Sebastian Bach's youth, silhouettes of family members, and a violin-making and an organ-building workshop; historical instruments and excerpts from church registers are also on display. In the courtyard, a large Bach family tree adorns the barn gable. The Bach ensemble in Wechmar also includes the Veit-Bach-Mühle and the Landhaus Studnitz, which can be visited individually or as part of a guided Bach tour.
Highlights
- Former upper bakehouse with historic bakery and oven
- Family tree of Veit Bach's descendants, plus a large family tree on the barn gable
- Museum of Thuringian minstrels and instrument makers with violin-making and organ-building workshops
- Silhouettes by members of the Bach family
- Bach ticket with a guided tour of the Veit-Bach-Mühle, Landhaus Studnitz and St. Viti church
- Founded
- 1994
- Operated by
- Förderverein Bach-Stammhaus Wechmar e. V.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3Holders of a severe disability ID (Schwerbehindertenausweis), school students, university students, military service members and groups of 10 or more |
| Children & teens | €3free up to age 14 · Children and young people up to 14 free, then reduced price for school students. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €3 |
| Students & apprentices | €3 |
| Groups (10+ people) | €3 per personReduced price for groups of 10 or more. |
| Bach ticket (guided tour of Bach-Stammhaus, Veit-Bach-Obermühle, Landhaus Studnitz, St. Viti church) | €8Booking required |
| Veit-Bach-Mühle | €2Reduced €1.60 |
| Landhaus Studnitz | €2Reduced €1.60 |
| Guided tour (plus admission) | €5Base fee; from the 11th person, €0.50 for each additional person |
Free admission for members of the Neue Bachgesellschaft and for tour leaders and bus drivers.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Step-free, accessible entrance via the courtyard. A Braille guide booklet is available for blind visitors; good signage for visitors with hearing impairments. Accessibility of the upper floor not stated.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours by prior arrangement. |
