Museum für Musikinstrumente der Universität Leipzig

The Museum of Musical Instruments is housed in the newly renovated Grassi Museum and is conveniently located near the Leipzig city center. It began its operations 30 May 1929. From its beginning, the Museum has been part of Leipzig University. Its activities include research and education, and it is open to all friends of music.

The collection includes approximately 300 music instruments from Asia, Africa, and America. During the course of the 19th century, the Florentine baron Alessandro Kraus acquired an impressive collection of music instruments which had been assembled with great care. His aim was to compile a sort of world music history illustrated by numerous original examples. His ambitious goal was never reached, and after many detours, the magnificent Kraus collection came to Leipzig 75 years ago. Thanks to the Florentine baron, many especially valuable and interesting pieces are part of the museum's collection.

A number of objects, ranging from valuable individual musical instruments to entire collections, were gradually added to the Leipzig collection. Paul Kaiser, also known as Reka (1881-1963), a vaudeville artist and music clown, sold over 200 instruments to the museum, among them pieces from Africa and Asia. Reka used many of these instruments in his performances.

An online catalogue with descriptions, sketches and pictures of all objects is currently being compiled.