The Goethe House at Großer Hirschgraben 21 is the birthplace and childhood home of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the writer of Faust and The Sorrows of Young Werther, and the most famous person ever to come from Frankfurt. The building was destroyed in the war and carefully rebuilt using the family's own furnishings that had been stored away, so the rooms you walk through, from the kitchen with its working fireplace to the poet's study on the upper floor, give a convincing picture of an eighteenth-century merchant household. The house is part of a museum complex that also includes a gallery of paintings from Goethe's time and the German Romantic Museum, which shares the same ticket counter and opening schedule. Tickets are sold on site at the museum, and there is no online reservation. The house opens daily, with a late evening on Thursdays. Public guided tours in German run on several afternoons, and they are included in admission. Allow about an hour for the house alone, and longer if you add the Romantic Museum, which makes a good pairing for anyone interested in German literature and culture.
Why it matters
Goethe is to German literature roughly what Shakespeare is to English, and Frankfurt is where it all began. He was born here in 1749, grew up in this house and returned later in life as a visitor. The house presents the stage on which his early years played out, including the library of his father, the puppet theatre that fed his love of drama and the room where he wrote early drafts.
Even if you have not read Faust, seeing how a well-off citizen of the free imperial city lived, with its heavy furniture, tiled stoves and surprising sense of order, is rewarding on its own.
Practicalities
The house is a narrow, steep townhouse with staircases, so it is not accessible by wheelchair or baby carriage, and an accessible toilet is available elsewhere in the complex. Tickets are bought at the box office, which means you cannot reserve a time slot online, so arrive at a quiet hour if you want to avoid a line.
Public tours are given in German, but the rooms have enough interpretation that you can enjoy them without a guide, and tours in other languages can be requested for groups. The house is closed on a few holidays such as Good Friday and over the New Year, so check the museum's site before you plan a visit around those dates.
Pairing it
The museum is a few minutes on foot from the Hauptwache and the Römerberg, and it sits in the middle of the shopping streets, so it pairs naturally with a walk through the New Old Town and the cathedral. If you prefer to plan a museum day, combine it with the Historisches Museum or a trip along the Museumsufer.
The Romantic Museum next door extends the story into the following generation of poets and painters, and a short stop in the cafe breaks up the visit. This is a thoughtful stop rather than a thrill, best for readers, history lovers and anyone who wants to understand why Frankfurt cherishes its most famous son.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided visit through the furnished rooms of a rebuilt eighteenth-century townhouse, with optional public tours in German and access to the gallery and the Romantic Museum.
Best time
A weekday morning, when the narrow rooms are quiet, or a Thursday evening when the museum stays open late.
How long
About an hour for the house, and up to two hours with the Romantic Museum.
Tips
Tickets are sold only at the museum box office, the house is not wheelchair accessible, and public tours are in German, so rely on the room texts if you prefer English.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Readers and history fans who want to see where Germany's best-known writer grew up.
- Families
- Best for older children and teenagers who have met Goethe at school, and there are family tours on some Saturdays.
- Couples
- A quiet cultural hour that pairs well with a coffee near the Hauptwache.
- Pair with
- The Römerberg, the cathedral and the Historisches Museum.
- Time needed
- One to two hours.
Good questions
Can I book Goethe House tickets online?+
No, the museum states that tickets are sold at its box office on site and that online reservation is not possible. Arrive during a quieter period to avoid a line.
Are tours in English?+
Public tours run in German and are included in admission. Group tours in other languages can be requested in advance, and the rooms have interpretation that works without a guide.
When is it closed?+
It is open most days, with later hours on Thursdays, and closes on a few holidays such as Good Friday and the New Year period. Check the museum's site for the current schedule.
Is the house accessible?+
No, the Goethe House is not accessible by wheelchair or baby carriage because of its stairs. An accessible toilet is available within the complex.
What else can I see on the same ticket counter?+
The German Romantic Museum shares the same schedule and ticket counter, so you can add it to your visit, alongside special exhibitions when they are on.
