Franz-Liszt-Museum
Museum on the life and work of Franz Liszt in the Bayreuth house where he died, right next to Haus Wahnfried – with portraits, manuscripts, and pianos.
About the museum
In July 1886, the already seriously ill Franz Liszt traveled to the Bayreuth Festival, which his daughter Cosima had been running since Richard Wagner’s death. He stayed in the house of a head forester immediately next to the Villa Wahnfried and died there during the night of July 31 to August 1, with Cosima at his side. He was buried in Bayreuth’s municipal cemetery, where a mausoleum commemorates him today.
The simple brick house on Wahnfriedstraße had been built in 1877; it suffered bomb damage in 1945 and was subsequently restored. The core of the museum is the Liszt collection of Munich pianist Ernst Burger, comprising about 300 pictures, manuscripts, and prints, which the City of Bayreuth acquired in 1988. The museum in the house where Liszt died opened on October 22, 1993, Liszt’s birthday.
The exhibition largely follows the stages of the piano virtuoso, conductor, and composer’s life in chronological order. On display are portraits, letters, scores, and personal belongings, including Liszt’s silent practice keyboard and an Ibach grand piano from Haus Wahnfried; loans from the Richard-Wagner-Stiftung complement the holdings. The house belongs to the City of Bayreuth and is managed jointly with the neighboring Richard Wagner Museum.
Highlights
- The house where Franz Liszt died, next to Haus Wahnfried
- Ernst Burger collection with portraits, manuscripts, and prints
- Silent practice keyboard owned by Liszt
- Ibach grand piano from Haus Wahnfried
- Combination ticket with the Richard Wagner Museum and the Jean-Paul-Museum
Permanent exhibitions
- Franz Liszt – Leben und Werk – A largely chronological tour through the life of the pianist, conductor, and composer, with portraits, letters, scores, and personal belongings from the Ernst Burger collection.
- Founded
- 1993
- Operated by
- Stadt Bayreuth
- Director
- Sven Friedrich
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €2 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €1School students, university students, people with severe disabilities |
| Children & teens | €1School students €1 |
| Seniors | –No senior discount listed |
| Visitors with disabilities | €1 |
| Students & apprentices | €1 |
| Groups | –Group guided tours (max. 20 people) only during opening hours, bookable through the Bayreuth tourist information office (+49 921 88588). |
| Combination ticket Richard Wagner Museum, Franz-Liszt-Museum, and Jean-Paul-Museum | €11valid for one week from purchase |
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Wahnfried
Bus 302 from Hauptbahnhof (main station) or bus 307 from ZOH (central bus station) to the “Wahnfried” stop.
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 | No public guided tours, only booked group tours. Liszt’s works are played in the rooms. Other Liszt sites in Bayreuth: the mausoleum in the municipal cemetery and Liszt’s 1873 grand piano in the Rococo Hall of the Steingraeber piano manufactory; city tour “Auf den Spuren Franz Liszts” (In the footsteps of Franz Liszt). |
