Theodor-Heuss-Haus

Current exhibitions

About the museum

Theodor Heuss, the first Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany, had a bungalow built on Feuerbacher Weg on Stuttgart's Killesberg for the years after his term in office. He moved in in 1959 and lived there until his death in December 1963. Afterward, the Theodor-Heuss-Archiv used the rooms to catalog his papers; from 1971 the house was rented out privately.

In 1995 the Stiftung Bundespräsident-Theodor-Heuss-Haus, a federally funded foundation commemorating a German statesman, took over the building. After conversion and extension by the firm Behnisch & Partner, Federal President Johannes Rau opened the first permanent exhibition in 2002. At the end of 2021 the house closed for a comprehensive renovation, and in May 2023 Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier reopened it with new exhibitions.

Today the house combines biography and the history of democracy: one exhibition uses around 650 objects and 44 interactive media stations to tell the story of the couple Theodor Heuss and Elly Heuss-Knapp from the German Empire to the early 1960s. A separate room is devoted to the office of head of state, and three living rooms in their original furnishings, with artworks and Heuss's library, convey middle-class domestic life around 1960. Behind the house is a large, redesigned garden.

In addition to temporary exhibitions, the foundation offers workshops for school classes, public guided tours, lectures and discussions. Annual focus themes shape the program – in 2026, antisemitism in Germany.

Highlights

• Living rooms in their original furnishings with Heuss's library and artworks
• Biographical exhibition on Theodor Heuss and Elly Heuss-Knapp with 44 media stations
• “Nummer 1” exhibition room on the office of Federal President
• Large garden with deck chairs, the “Werkbund-Säule” (Werkbund column) and the “Hesse-Bank” (Hesse bench)
• Media guide included in admission

Permanent exhibitions

• Demokratie als Lebensform: Theodor Heuss und Elly Heuss-Knapp – Biographical exhibition about the first presidential couple of the Federal Republic and the history of German democracy from the German Empire to the 1960s, with around 650 objects and many media stations.
• Nummer 1 – das Staatsoberhaupt – Multimedia show on the duties of the Federal President, how the office has changed and the people who have shaped it.
• Zuhause bei Heuss – Three living rooms in their original furnishings, with paintings, furniture and bookcases, show Theodor Heuss's lifestyle around 1960.

Founded

2002

Operated by

Stiftung Bundespräsident-Theodor-Heuss-Haus

Admission & discounts

Media guide included in admission. The tour of the living rooms without the media guide is free. With the Bonuscard + Kultur, admission and public guided tours are free, including for one companion.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Step-free entrance; all exhibition levels are accessible by elevator.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Annual family day with short tours, hands-on activities, a reading corner and a puppet theater (in 2026 on November 8, free admission). The garden has a “Kindernest” (children's nest) and deck chairs. Free admission for children and teens; school workshops are designed for classes from grade 7.

Getting there & parking

By car from the city center, take the B27 toward Killesberg, then follow the signs for “Theodor-Heuss-Haus”.

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