Goethe National Museum

For many Germans, and scholars of German literature, a visit to Weimar is first and foremost a pilgrimage to the houses of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. As Goethe’s status and stature rose, his small, beloved garden cottage was no longer considered suitable for a man of his position and he moved into town.

In 1792, Goethe moved into a house at Am Frauenplan, with his companion, Christiane Vulpius (1765-1816), and their son, August von Goethe (1789-1830). (The two of them scandalously lived together from 1788, had the son out of wedlock and only married in 1806.) Duke Carl Augustus of Saxe-Weimar gave Goethe the house, but took about a decade to complete the paperwork. Goethe moved in and stayed until his death in 1832. The house remained in the family until it was converted into a museum in 1885.

The house is a lovely spacious, yellow Baroque structure at the top end of the large Frauenplan Square. The entrance into the Goethe National Museum is via a simple wooden door in the adjacent building, which houses a permanent exhibition on the classicists of the period.

Entry into Goethes Wohnhaus (Goethe’s Home) is via the back door, where Goethe’s town coach for shorter journeys is on display. The house is furnished as it was in Goethe’s last years. Many of the furniture and art are original. Goethe kept meticulous records of acquisitions and described parts of the house in detail in letters to friends and family. In keeping with the Weimar Classics Foundation’s aim of preserving this residence as a house rather than a museum, there are no signs in the house. Either know what to expect, as many scholars do, take a guided tour, or have a detailed guidebook at hand. Furthermore, the house has no electrical lights, which may well mean less than optimum light conditions on an overcast day.

The house is simply furnished but elegant with lots of art. Do note the high desks - Goethe preferred standing up when writing. According to Goethe, only people without thoughts or the desire for new ideas needed elaborate furniture and decorations. Goethe left an art collection of 26,511 pieces, 5,400 books, and around 22,000 scientific specimens; only a minute part is on display.

The Permanent Exhibition is on members of the Weimar Classical period, 1759 - 1832. It has some interesting pieces, but is overshadowed by an unnecessary grandiose design. It can be serene though - the twenty minutes or so I spent in the exhibition no one else entered even though Goethes Wohnhaus was fairly busy.

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, April to October from 9am to 6pm, November to March from 9am to 4pm. Admission is €6 and an additional €2,50 for the permanent exhibition.