REVIEW | Beethoven House & Museum in Bonn

In late 2023, Dennis had the idea to visit Bonn in North Rhine-Westphalia for its Christmas Market. A good idea. We chose Bonn over Cologne or Aachen, as Cologne’s – and Aachen’s – Weihnachtsmarkt is a mass tourism event. Even if Bonn used to be the capital of the German Federal Republic when it was known as West Germany and at the start of a reunited Germany, the city is quite small. And, so we expect, the Christmas Market more cosy and with a higher ratio of local people.

Bonn is Beethoven and Beethoven is Bonn. Ludwig van Beethoven is omnipresent in the city. He is used, misused and abused in imagery and in decorations.

But there’s also an ‘official’ aspect. Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn in 1770 where he was baptised in 17 December. So Bonn is home of the Beethoven-Haus and Beethoven Museum.

Which is which is unclear when you first take a look at the website. There are three addresses. Bongasse 20 is the actual birthplace. Bonngasse 21 across the street is the ticket office and museum shop. Bonngasse 24-26 is… well I’m not sure.

Introduction

“The museum at Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth place is one of the most frequented music museums worldwide and one of the 100 most popular sights in Germany”, the website says.

“Since December 17, 2019, the museum has been hosting a new and enlarged permanent exhibition. It provides a new approach to experiencing Beethoven as an artist and fellow human being in a modern, inspiring and exciting way. New rooms are the vault with manuscripts, a music room for regular concerts on historic keyboards and a special area for temporary exhibitions.”

Birthplace

Beethoven‘s birthplace at Bonngasse 20 is one of the few 18th-century town houses in Bonn that has been preserved.

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in the back house in December 1770. Today, it is a museum and is one of the most frequently visited musicians‘ museums in the world.

The museum rooms are spread over three floors, where you can explore the thematically structured exhibition by strolling. The topics range from Beethoven‘s roots in his hometown of Bonn, his regular everyday life as an artist, his

social network of friends and patrons to the blow of his deafness.

One room is devoted to his work, which transcends all conventions. Several media and artistic stagings open up new perspectives on the historical documents and objects and invite visitors to a modern contemporary encounter with Beethoven.

“The Beethoven-Haus is home to the largest and most diverse Beethoven collection worldwide”, the museum boasts.

“Numerous particularly impressive objects from it are on display in the museum: the organ console, for example, at which Beethoven made music as a child, Beethoven’s desk and the fortepiano he last owned in Vienna, or the ear trumpets that were made especially for him, and of course numerous music manuscripts, letters and portraits.”

Outside the house proper there is the Treasure Chamber with a special selection of original Beethoven manuscripts. The daylight-free room allows the presentation

of exhibits that change on a regular basis and illustrate Beethoven’s writing and working processes.

The Music Chambers plays music by the maestro, taken from his original manuscripts. So it might differ from what you’re used to hear nowadays.

App

The Beethoven-Haus Bonn app serves as audioguide in several languages and yes, it includes some music. As not everyone brings ear pods or headphones, you’re treated to a cacophony of languages and sounds.

A visit

The Beethoven house is that: a house. So don’t expect a huge museum. The attendant at the entrance said the visit is about 90 minutes and that is a good assessment. We did it in just over 60, but we also didn’t listen to everything.

Frank told me he was impressed by Beethoven’s birth room, with just a bust of him. That exhibit seemed to have disappeared but is still featured on Wikipedia.