Philipp-Reis-Haus und Hugenottenmuseum

About the museum

The house on the Hugenottenstraße was the former home of Philipp Reis, the teacher and physicist from Friedrichsdorf who in 1860 achieved the first transmission of speech over a longer distance. Reis also coined the word "Telephon". Today the town of Friedrichsdorf runs a museum here that tells the story of his life and work and the history of the telephone.

On the ground floor, Reis's life story and inventions take center stage, supplemented by original furniture from his household. For the 150th anniversary of the telephone, the department on the development of the telephone was redesigned; it is based on a donated private collection, from which eighteen devices were selected. Touching and picking up the receivers is expressly encouraged, and each type of device has a matching radio play.

On the upper floor, the permanent exhibition is devoted to the history of the Huguenots: their flight, the lives of these refugees and their economy. Friedrichsdorf kept the French language longer than any other place; French was still spoken until 1914, and a dialect of its own developed from it. The economic history ranges from rusk production to dyeing, which is shown with dye plants and a model of a dye shed.

Highlights

• Home of telephone inventor Philipp Reis
• Telephones to touch and listen to
• Permanent exhibition on the history of the Huguenots
• Dyeing and rusk production as the town's economic history
• Inventors' workshop for children

Permanent exhibitions

• Philipp Reis und die Entwicklung des Telefons – Life story of the inventor and telephones to touch and listen to.
• Die Hugenotten in Friedrichsdorf – Flight, daily life and language of the Huguenots, with multimedia elements.
• Wirtschaftsgeschichte: Zwieback, Hüte und Färberei – Trades of the Huguenot town, especially the dyeing department with dye plants and a model of a dye shed.

Operated by

Stadt Friedrichsdorf

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission. According to the tourism portal, booked guided tours cost €30.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Kids’ birthday parties

Telephones may be touched and picked up. There are children's guided tours and an inventors' workshop for children from age five on physics, chemistry and everyday history.

Getting there & parking

By car via the A5 to exit 16 Friedberg/Friedrichsdorf, then the B445 towards Friedrichsdorf and onto the L3415/Hugenottenstraße; the house is diagonally across from the church.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit