Museum of Musical Instruments, Leipzig

The Museum of Musical Instruments of the University of Leipzig is a prominent part of the Grassi Museum complex, which also houses the Museum of Ethnography and the Museum of Applied Arts. Renowned as one of the largest musical instrument museums in Europe, it boasts a collection of nearly 10,000 items, including instruments and related artifacts from Europe and beyond, with pieces dating back to the Renaissance, Baroque, and the period of Bach's Leipzig.

The museum's origins trace back to 1886 when Dutchman Paul de Wit established a museum dedicated to historic musical instruments in Leipzig. In 1905, he sold the collection to Wilhelm Heyer, a paper merchant, who expanded it further. By 1926, the University of Leipzig acquired the entire Heyer collection with financial support from the State of Saxony and the music publisher Carl Friedrich Peters. The collection found a permanent home in the New Grassi Museum, officially opening its doors in 1929.

However, the museum's journey was not without setbacks. During World War II, despite efforts to protect the collection, a significant number of items were destroyed in a bombing raid in 1943 or were damaged and lost due to inadequate storage and theft.

In the 1950s, the museum began a slow process of rebuilding and eventually reopened to the public. Over the decades, the collection was replenished through acquisitions and donations, ensuring the preservation of its most valuable pieces, including instruments from the De Wit, Heyer, Kraus, Friedrich von Amerling, and Ibach collections.

Today, the museum's exhibits are organized chronologically into 13 sections, showcasing categories such as bowed, wind, and percussion instruments, with the oldest dating from the 16th century. It also features a sound laboratory where visitors can interact with and test out musical instruments, offering a dynamic experience that brings the history of music to life.