Fanny & Felix Mendelssohn Museum, Hamburg

The Fanny & Felix Mendelssohn Museum, situated in the Composers Quarter of Hamburg-Neustadt, opened its doors on May 29, 2018. This museum is dedicated to the life and works of the celebrated classical composers and siblings, Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, delving into their influential careers and Jewish heritage within the context of 19th-century German culture.

Fanny Mendelssohn (1805–1847) was an accomplished composer who created over four hundred songs during her lifetime. Her brother, Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847), started composing in his adolescence and is renowned for his significant contributions to classical music. Their musical education began under the guidance of their mother and later advanced under notable teachers such as Ludwig Berger, Marie Bigot, and Carl Friedrich Zelter. The siblings were a source of mutual inspiration, deeply influencing each other's work.

The museum's exhibits focus on their upbringing, the cultural challenges they faced, and their dedication to music. Central to the museum is a fortepiano, representing the essence of their musical lives. The museum employs multimedia techniques to provide visitors with an immersive experience. These include detailed explorations of specific subjects, opportunities to listen to Mendelssohn's compositions, and interactive audio recordings activated by motion-detecting devices. This approach ensures a scientifically accurate presentation, aided by contributions from musicologist Beatrix Borchard in its planning.

Despite challenges, including construction delays that pushed back the opening by a year and incomplete installations at the time of opening, the museum has managed to provide a rich educational experience. The limited availability of original pieces was also considered in the museum's design, ensuring that each element was thoughtfully incorporated to honor Mendelssohn's legacy. Visitors to the museum can expect not only to learn about the siblings' significant contributions to music but also to engage deeply with the compositions that defined an era.