Goethes Gartenhaus

About the museum

The small house on the slope above the Ilm was probably built in the 16th century as a vineyard house and stood empty and neglected when Duke Carl August acquired it in 1776 and gave it to Goethe. Goethe had it repaired and remodeled; until he moved to the house on Frauenplan in 1782, it was his most important place to live and work. Works written here include the “Erlkönig” and the poem “An den Mond” (To the Moon). In later life, too, he liked to retreat here.

While the building work was underway, Goethe redesigned the overgrown garden: he had the slope terraced, paths and steps laid out, and fruit trees and vegetable beds planted. The division into a shady slope, an orchard meadow and a kitchen garden is still recognizable today. In 1777 the “Stein des guten Glücks”, designed by Goethe and Adam Friedrich Oeser, was set up – one of the earliest non-figurative monuments in Germany.

After Goethe's death, his grandsons opened the house to visitors in 1841; in 1886 it opened as a memorial. During the restoration of 1995/96 the rooms were returned to the colors Goethe had chosen. Today the Gartenhaus belongs to the Klassik Stiftung Weimar and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Classical Weimar”.

The tour leads through the dining room (“Erdsälchen”) and the kitchen on the first floor and through four rooms on the upper floor that Goethe used for working, living and sleeping. On display are original furnishings such as the standing desk with its “Sitzbock” (saddle stool) and a folding bed, as well as artworks, manuscripts and drawings by Goethe of the surrounding area.

Highlights

• Goethe's study with standing desk and “Sitzbock”
• Where the “Erlkönig” and “An den Mond” were written
• Garden laid out by Goethe with the “Stein des guten Glücks” (1777)
• Original furniture, manuscripts and drawings by Goethe
• Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Classical Weimar” in the Park an der Ilm

Permanent exhibitions

• Goethes Gartenhaus und Garten – Tour through the Erdsälchen, the kitchen and Goethe's study, living room and bedroom with original furniture, manuscripts and drawings, plus the garden designed by Goethe.

Founded

1886

Operated by

Klassik Stiftung Weimar

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Foundation-wide free admission days: International Women's Day (March 8) and Buß- und Bettag (Day of Repentance and Prayer, November 18, 2026; the Gartenhaus is then closed for the winter)

Tickets online with a time slot or on site. Free admission with the weimar card, for refugees and for ICOM and DMB members. Reduction rules as per the foundation-wide ticket page.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: not available
• Accessible parking: not available
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description: no information

Not wheelchair-accessible: no direct vehicle access, several steps at the entrance and in the grounds, narrow front door, no elevator and no wheelchair-accessible restroom. Offerings for people with hearing and visual impairments and in plain language (also in the Weimar+ app); guided tour for groups of blind or visually impaired people available. Assistance dogs allowed (dog socks at the ticket desk).

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Backpack tour “Abenteuer Garten” (Garden Adventure) through the garden at the Stern for children aged 3 to 7 (with texts to read aloud), available to borrow at the ticket desk from April to October; not step-free.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

The Park an der Ilm is freely accessible all year round.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit