Thank you for exploring Weimar with me! Here are my tips for your days in the city.
Andrea Otto, your city guide
Weimar Right Now
What’s on right now, which museums are open, and tips for families.
Happening in Weimar
Festivals, openings and everything that shapes the week.
Museums & Exhibitions
What’s on and when the museums are open. Opening hours can change, so please check before your visit.
Classicism
Bauhaus & art
History
City life
Weimar City Palace
New permanent exhibition “Weimar Classicism” in the renovated east wing, plus the free “Palace History” display in the foyer
Tue to Sun, 10 am to 6 pm
Reopening after eight years of renovation: 2 October 4 to 8 pm, 3 and 4 October 10 am to 8 pm
Goethe National Museum and Goethe's House
“Lebensfluten - Tatensturm” and the “Goethe-Apparat”, a media station in Goethe's study
Tue to Sun, 9:30 am to 6 pm
Goethe's House closes for renovation in November 2026, the museum stays open. Winter hours until 4 pm from 2 November.
Schiller's House and Schiller Museum
“Faust. An Exhibition”, an interactive multimedia exhibition on Goethe's Faust
Tue to Sun, 10 am to 6 pm
The Faust exhibition runs until 1 November 2027. Winter hours until 4 pm from 2 November.
Wittumspalais
“The True Face of Anna Amalia”
Tue to Sun, 10 am to 6 pm
The dowager palace of Duchess Anna Amalia, where her round table met
Duchess Anna Amalia Library
The Rococo Hall with its book treasures, and the exhibition “Öffentlich machen!” in the Study Centre
Rococo Hall: Tue to Sun, 9:30 am to 6 pm
Admission to the Rococo Hall is limited, best book tickets in advance. The Study Centre exhibition is free (Mon to Fri 9 am to 8 pm, Sat 9 am to 5 pm).
Goethe and Schiller Archive
“Between Order and Loss”, 25 years of UNESCO Memory of the World
Mon to Fri, 9 am to 6 pm, Sat, Sun and public holidays 11 am to 4 pm
Original manuscripts by Goethe, Schiller and many others
Goethe's Garden House
Goethe's garden house in the Park on the Ilm, his home from 1776 to 1782
Tue to Sun, 10 am to 6 pm
Closed in winter (from 2 November)
Events this week
Concerts, theatre and guided tours change every day. The full calendar is on weimar.de (in German).
Open the events calendar
Families, Kids & Teens
Places in Weimar that young visitors enjoy too.
Kids
Park Cave
Park on the Ilm
Underground tunnels in the middle of the park, with traces of 200,000 years of earth and human history. It is cool underground, bring a jacket.
Teens
Faust, hands-on
Schiller Museum
“Faust. An Exhibition” is interactive and multimedia. Goethe's classic to explore rather than to cram, great before or after reading it at school.
Teens
Understanding democracy
House of the Weimar Republic
How does a democracy come about, and why can it fail? The exhibition on Theaterplatz tells the story vividly, plus a special exhibition on sport in the Weimar Republic.
Families
Museum of Prehistory and Early History
Humboldtstraße 11
400,000 years of Thuringian prehistory with original finds, reconstructed living worlds and objects to touch. Famous for the early human of Weimar-Ehringsdorf. Closed on Mondays. The playground at Poseckscher Garten is right next door.
Playgrounds in the City Centre
Three little breaks for children, all within walking distance of the centre. The linked pages are in German.
Poseckscher Garten Playground
Next to the Museum of Prehistory and Early History, ages 0 to 10
Slides, swings, a carousel, hammocks and climbing frames.
“Local kids argue about whether this is the ‘Elephant Playground’ or the ‘Mammoth Playground’.”
Rollplatz Playground
Next to the Jakobskirche, ages 0 to 10
A large wooden play sculpture for climbing and hiding with two slides, plus a toddler swing, spring rocker, spinning element and sandpit. From the climbing tree, children can look out over the whole square.
Frauenplan “Giant” Play Spot
Opposite Goethe’s House, all ages of children
A sculpture sunk into the ground by Weimar artist Walter Sachs: a reclining giant you only recognise on a second look. For climbing, sliding and running around on the little lawn.
All information without guarantee.
Eat & Drink
My picks for a quick bite and for a proper sit-down meal. Opening hours change, so please check the venue’s website.
Quick bites
Restaurants
Cafés
Museum cafés
Teufels Bratwurst
Market Square
Thuringian bratwurst from the charcoal grill at the market stall. Quick and cheap, no seating. Right at the starting point of many tours.
Döner am Theaterplatz
Theaterplatz
Doner, wraps and snacks for a short break between Theaterplatz and Schiller's house.
Munzur Döner
Heinrich-Heine-Straße, behind the National Theatre
Doner, falafel and lahmacun, a few steps from the theatre. Inexpensive and good for larger groups.
Fritz Mitte
Schützengasse
Fries, currywurst and snacks in the heart of the old town. A quick break without a detour.
Brotklappe Weimar
Frauenplan 8
Sourdough sandwiches, cinnamon knots and brioche. Right next to Goethe's house.
REWE Salattheke
Schillerkaufhaus, Theaterplatz
Salad bar, sandwiches, snacks and drinks. Handy when a whole group needs food at once.
Pizza Antonio
Windischengasse
Pizza to take away, also by the slice. Cheap and quick.
Jelo
Herderplatz
Soup bar with changing soups of the day and a few seats, right by the Herder Church.
Bioladen Suppenbar
Herderplatz
Organic soups, vegetarian and vegan. Good for anyone avoiding meat.