Bach Museum Leipzig: Visiting the Composer’s City

This guide is for people who have moved to Leipzig from abroad, with or without children, and want to know what the Bach-Museum offers beyond a single afternoon visit. It covers what you can see, the tours and workshops worth booking, how the museum connects to the city’s wider music life, and where to find current prices and opening hours.

• What the Bach-Museum is
• What you can see right now
• Tours, workshops and visits with children
• Concerts in the Sommersaal
• Planning your visit and staying in the loop
• FAQ

What the Bach-Museum is

The Bach-Museum is run by the Bach-Archiv Leipzig, the city’s research institute and archive devoted to Johann Sebastian Bach. The museum is housed in the Bose House, which belonged to friends of Bach. The museum’s own introduction tells the story of how the house went from a family home to a museum, so it is worth reading before your first visit.

The museum is more than a collection of glass cases. It is also an active research institution, and its news shows that. It recently announced two newly identified organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach, which add to the BWV catalogue (the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, the standard numbered list of his works). Living in Leipzig means you get to follow this kind of discovery from close by, often with talks and events attached.

What you can see right now

On top of the permanent exhibition about Bach’s life and work, the museum currently has a special exhibition called “Jüdisches Leben und die Musikerfamilie Bach” (Jewish life and the Bach family of musicians). A series of concerts runs alongside it, so you can pair a visit with a performance on the same theme. The calendar also lists a Kuratorinnenführung, a tour of the exhibition led by its curator. For adults who want more than wall texts, this is the best way in.

Something else to look out for: a square piano signed by Johann Christian Bach, one of Johann Sebastian’s sons, goes on show from 4 December 2026. If you are new to the city, a winter visit to see a new object is a good reason to come back after your first trip.

The museum also has a feature called “Bach interactive”, which invites you to look for hidden surprises on the Thomaskirchhof, the square outside. This makes a good warm-up before you go in, especially with children.

Tours, workshops and visits with children

The museum’s events calendar is busy and mostly in German, so here is a short translation of the formats it lists:

• Überblicksführung (overview tour): a general introduction titled “Das Bach-Museum”. A good first visit for adults.
• Thematische Führung (themed tour): recurring topics include “Bach in Leipzig” and “Bachs Klangwelten” (Bach’s worlds of sound).
• Rundgang (walk-through): “Auf Bachs Spuren” (in Bach’s footsteps).
• Interaktive Familienführung (interactive family tour): “Orgelpfeifen und Federkiele” (organ pipes and quill pens), aimed at families.
• Orgelbau-Workshop für Kinder (und Erwachsene) (organ-building workshop for children, and adults): run as part of “Türen auf mit der Maus!”, a national open-doors day for children linked to the German children’s TV programme Die Sendung mit der Maus. Its recent theme was “Kleine Wunder” (small wonders).

For children, the family tour and the organ-building workshop are the clear picks, since both are built around hands-on activities. The curator’s tour and the themed tours are better for adults. The calendar does not state age limits, and most tours are listed with German titles, so check the event details or ask the museum whether a tour is held in German or English before you book.

The calendar has also listed special days. One was a Publikumstag (public day) with free entry to the museum. Another was a Tag der offenen Tür (open day) under the theme “Bach barrierefrei” (Bach without barriers). Events are sometimes cancelled, and the calendar marks these as “ENTFÄLLT” (cancelled). Check that word before you set off.

Concerts in the Sommersaal

The Sommersaal (Summer Hall) is the museum’s Baroque hall, and it has its own 2026 concert season of chamber music. Concerts take place in the Bach-Archiv’s Sommersaal. One example from the programme is “Bach als Vorbild: Kuriosa der Bach-Rezeption” (Bach as a model: curiosities of how Bach has been received). Chamber music in a room this size is close and personal, which is quite different from a large concert hall.

The hall can also be rented for private functions, meetings and recitals. If you are planning a family celebration or a small recital and want a room with real character, ask the Bach-Archiv about it.

The museum is one piece of a much larger musical city. The city’s official tourism site, Leipzig Travel, has sections on “Music City: Leipzig” and “The fascination of the organ”, plus a citywide events calendar covering concerts and exhibitions. If the organ-building workshop or the newly discovered organ works catch your interest, the organ section is a natural next step.

Planning your visit and staying in the loop

The source pages do not give ticket prices, opening hours or a street address. For all of these, along with group fees and contact details, go to the “Your visit” section of the Bach-Museum’s own site, which keeps the current details. The museum also has a dedicated accessibility page. It says the museum wants every guest to have a self-determined, informative visit, and it lists what support is on offer.

Leipzig Travel lists the LEIPZIG CARD and LEIPZIG REGIO CARD, which combine public transport with discounts at sights and restaurants. Whether the Bach-Museum is included, and on what terms, is not stated on the pages used for this guide, so check the card conditions before you count on a discount. The free Explore Leipzig app offers self-guided city centre tours, including some aimed at all ages, and is a useful way to see the area around the museum at your own pace.

To stay up to date, the Bach-Archiv sends a newsletter every two months called Bach News. If you are not yet ready to visit, or have a relative abroad who is curious, the museum also offers a virtual tour through Google Arts & Culture.

FAQ

Is the Bach-Museum suitable for children?

Yes, especially when you go to a family event. The calendar lists an interactive family tour on organ pipes and quill pens and an organ-building workshop for children (and adults). The pages do not state age limits, so check the event details or ask the museum before booking.

Are tours available in English?

The events calendar lists tours under German titles, and the pages do not say which language each one is held in. The museum’s “Your visit” section covers guided tours and contact details, so ask there about English-language options or private group tours.

How much does a ticket cost?

The source pages do not state prices. The museum’s own site has current admission fees, group fees and opening hours in its “Your visit” section. Also watch the events calendar for free-admission days, such as the Publikumstag it has listed before.

Can I hear live music at the museum?

Yes. The Sommersaal, a Baroque hall in the Bach-Archiv, hosts a 2026 season of chamber music concerts, and the special exhibition on Jewish life and the Bach family has its own concert series. Dates and tickets are listed on the Bach-Museum’s website.

Official sources: bachmuseumleipzig.de · leipzig.travel

Last checked: 12 October 2026 against the pages linked above. Prices, opening hours and programmes change; the venue’s own site always has the current details.