Beeth­oven-Haus in Bonn

Where you can ex­per­i­ence mu­sic­al his­tory on your own two feet: at the birth­place of the fam­ous com­poser Lud­wig van Beeth­oven you’ll learn everything about his life and work.

The former German capital city of Bonn is not known as a city of music for nothing. It is home to the birthplace of the famous German composer Ludwig van Beethoven. He first entered the world in the Bonngasse house in December 1770, where his family lived in one of the flats. During his 57-year life, Beethoven became one of the most important composers in musical history.

Today visitors can follow in his footsteps and see through their own eyes the composer’s birthplace, which is now a museum. The historic atmosphere takes museum guests back to the 18th century and the museum offers deeper insights into the life and work of the great composer. The museum houses the largest Beethoven collection in the world, using impressive authentic documents to vividly depict Beethoven’s life and work.

Wandering through the museum’s twelve rooms, visitors can see 150 original exhibits offering an opportunity to reflect upon how Beethoven thought, felt, worked and acted. The authentic exhibits include manuscripts, photos, letters, furniture and other everyday objects from Beethoven's life, as well as musical instruments and memorabilia, including famous pieces, such as Beethoven's last grand piano, made by Viennese piano maker Conrad Graf, and valuable original manuscripts, such as that of Moonlight Sonata.

Besides the permanent exhibition, the Beethoven museum also regularly puts on temporary exhibitions, which likewise address topics relating to the famous composer in their historical context.