Musical Gems: Historical Musical Instruments

In an adjoining modern building accessible directly from the historic Handel House (including disabled access), the majority of the 750 historical musical instruments making up the collection are on display. Today, it represents one of the most important collections in Central Germany. Here you can view valuable exhibits of all types of musical instrument – and even hear some of them.

The gems of the collection include a Flemish harpsichord from 1599, a fortepiano from the time of Mozart and a late Baroque church organ, as well as rare objects and curiosities ranging from a glass harmonica to an olifant and a cane violin and also including mechanical musical instruments. The development of the keyboard instrument can be traced through exhibits such as the clavichord, the harpsichord and the fortepiano, right up to the modern grand piano. You can try playing a number of replicas yourself.