The Richard Wagner Museum

The Richard Wagner Museum, in the house “Wahnfried", former residence of the Wagner family, was restored in 2015 and expanded with a modern addition.

Learn more in this video:

The museum

Richard Wagner’s Wahnfried residence, which he had built from 1872 to 1874 at Hofgarten in Bayreuth and in whose garden he was buried after his death in 1883, has housed the Richard Wagner Museum since 1976.

Adjacent to the house is the National Archive of the Richard Wagner Foundation in the Siegfried Wagner House, a secondary building that was converted into a private residence by Wagner’s son Siegfried in 1894.

A modern museum building was constructed on a plot of land that was first purchased by Winifred Wagner in the 1930s, as part of the museum’s renovation from 2010 to 2015.

The permanent exhibition documents the life and work of Richard Wagner, the history of the Bayreuth Festival and the impact of his work in three parts. Changing special exhibitions explore a variety of special topics.

A visit is a must for any stay in Bayreuth. A repeat visit to the Richard Wagner Museum is also very rewarding. Certainly, one or two details will be discovered, and the new exhibitions will never let boredom set in.

The Archives

The archive is directly adjacent to the Richard Wagner Museum. The purpose of the archive is to store written and visual documents, as well as objects from the life and work of Richard Wagner. The comprehensive collection has made the National Archive in Bayreuth the world’s most important research center for Wagner’s personality and life. To make scientific publications and research accessible to the public, exhibitions are held regularly.

The National Archives are divided into the areas of Archives, Library, Picture Archives, and Collections. To use the archive collection, permission must be obtained from the museum management.

Exhibitions and offers at the musem

A diverse range of mediation offerings, such as guided tours and museum educational activities, open up the various areas of the Richard Wagner Museum to visitors.

The museum also offers attractive events such as chamber concerts, lectures, conferences and book presentations, especially during the time of the Bayreuth Festival.

Rental of museum spaces to companies, clubs, and associations—but not to private individuals—is possible upon request.