Richard-Strauss-Institut
Research institute devoted to Richard Strauss in a villa in Partenkirchen's spa park, with a permanent exhibition on the composer's life and work.
About the museum
A dedicated research institute on Richard Strauss was first established in 1982 as a municipal institution in Munich, prompted in part by the conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch. Because equipment and space there remained limited, a move to Garmisch-Partenkirchen was planned from 1997 – to the place where the composer lived in his villa from 1908 and where the family's private Strauss archive is still located today.
After an interim period on a former barracks site, the institute opened on September 8, 1999, the 50th anniversary of Strauss's death, in the Villa Christina in the spa park of Partenkirchen. The house had been built in 1893 for a Mannheim cigar manufacturer; his cousin, the conductor Hermann Levi, was a frequent guest here. The municipality later used the villa as a spa house (Kurhaus).
At the heart of the institute are a specialist library and an archive used by researchers, musicians and opera houses from all over the world. Open to visitors is the permanent exhibition "Strauss! Mensch & Musik entdecken" (Strauss! Discovering the Man & the Music), which presents the composer in chapters such as life portraits, family portraits, stage pictures, sound pictures, and reflections and caricatures. Chamber concerts in the GaPa Klassik series take place in the building's concert hall, and the institute also organizes the annual Richard-Strauss-Tage festival. Since 2021 the institute has been part of GaPa Kultur gGmbH; it is directed by Dominik Šedivý.
Highlights
- Permanent exhibition "Strauss! Mensch & Musik entdecken"
- Historic Villa Christina in the Partenkirchen spa park
- Specialist library and archive for Strauss research
- Chamber concerts in the in-house concert hall
- Virtual tour of the exhibition
Permanent exhibitions
- Strauss! Mensch & Musik entdecken – The exhibition approaches Richard Strauss through portraits, family and self-portraits in his works, stage designs for his operas, his musical language, and caricatures and reviews.
- Founded
- 1999
- Operated by
- GaPa Kultur gGmbH
- Director
- Dominik Šedivý
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3.50 |
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| Reduced | €2.50 |
Cash payment only. The institute does not specify who is eligible for the reduced rate. Concerts in the concert hall require separate admission.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Good to know | A virtual tour of the exhibition is available on the website. The library and archive are available for research purposes. |
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