German Museum of Books and Writing

Photo of a young woman wearing glasses and gazing at a book (on Einstein’s theory of relativity) with a look of surprise on her face Photo: DNB, Collection Günter-Karl Bose

About the German Museum of Books and Writing

The task of the German Museum of Books and Writing at the German National Library in Leipzig is to collect, exhibit, educate the public and carry out scientific work on testimonies to the history of books, writing and media. Founded in Leipzig in 1884 as the Deutsches Buchgewerbemuseum (German Book Trade Museum), it is the world’s oldest museum of book culture, while its scope and the quality of its holdings also make it one of the most important. Our permanent exhibition takes visitors on a journey through 5,000 years of media history and tells the story of knowledge, censorship and freedom of opinion.

As a vibrant venue of cultural education, including and especially with disadvantaged groups, the Museum is also an academic documentation centre for book culture and media history at the heart of a strong network of research partners. Our offerings and services are intended for experts and the general public alike. One of the Museum’s main focus is to explore the role that books and writing still play even in the digital age.

Disruptive Elements. Jazz, Protest and Revolution

Free jazz festival to mark 35 years of the Peaceful Revolution (20 to 22 September 2024)

The German Museum of Books and Writing marked the 35th anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution this autumn by organising a free jazz festival remembering the importance of music as a medium of resistance in the GDR. The three-day festival took place in Leipzig from 20 to 22 September 2024.

Provenance

“Tiefenbohrung“ (“Deep Drilling“) marks the start of an intensive investigation by the German Museum of Books and Writing into the provenance of the holdings it has collected over more than 140 years.

More information

Find your story at the DBSM

The German Museum of Books and Writing (DBSM) tells one of the stories of humankind. The following film brings together deeply personal insights into the museum’s narratives and invites viewers to pinpoint their own identity within them. Digital or in person – looking back at the past and ahead to the future: find your story at the DBSM

Exhibitions

We offer a varied exhibition program that links book and media history with current social issues; this is offered not only on our premises in Leipzig but also online and in the form of touring exhibitions. These exhibitions draw on the wealth of artefacts in our museum collections. We see ourselves as a platform for topics relating to media history and are open to partnerships with other organisations.

In our permanent exhibition “Signs – Books – Networks: from Cuneiform to Binary Code”, you can explore 5,000 years of human media history and also take a look at the future of media. Our online exhibition on media history invites you to take a virtual journey through time. You can also seek inspiration from our temporary exhibitions on topics relating to books and media history.

Exhibitions are open from Tuesday to Sunday and on National Holidays 10:00–18:00, on Thursdays 10:00–20:00.

"... from me".
– papan to papan. A life in postcards

Foyer presentation at the German National Library’s German Museum of Books and Writing in Leipzig
12 January to 1 June 2025

Zeichnung eines Mannes, der am Tisch sitzt und Postkarten schreibt, auf dem Boden sitzt eine Katze und schreibt auch eine Postkarte Bild: papan / Manfred von Papen

This is us! 75 years of Basic Law. A publication history

Foyer presentation
National Library’s German Museum of Books and Writing in Leipzig
extended until 23 December 2024

Menschenmenge; in der Mitte wird ein rotes Schild mit der Aufschrift: DONT TOUCH MY GRUNDGESETZ § 1 hochgehalten. Foto: Dirk Knofe

Nice to meet me. Comic and autobiography. Netherlands/Flanders

Temporary exhibition
Leipzig
20 March 2024 to 5 January 2025

Graphic with exhibition title Graphic: Tecton

Hell and paradise. Amsterdam, Querido and German exile literature

Showcase exhibition
Leipzig
extended until 23 February 2025

Graphic with exhibition title Graphic: Tecton

Signs – Books – Networks

Permanent exhibition
Leipzig

View into the permanent exhibition of the German Museum of Books and Writing of the German National Library in Leipzig Photo: PUNCTUM/Bertram Kober

Goethe VR

Virtual Reality Experience
Leipzig
Frankfurt am Main

Goethe VR - Appearance with white poodle, black lettering and red background Image: Grafisch

Occupied space – billposting by German occupiers 1939–1945

Virtual exhibition

Screenshot with the title of the exhibition “Occupied space – billposting by German occupiers 1939–1945“. In the background you can see posters stacked on top of each other. The image is coloured red.

This is us! 75 years of Basic Law. A publication history

Virtual exhibition

Menschenmenge; in der Mitte wird ein rotes Schild mit der Aufschrift: DONT TOUCH MY GRUNDGESETZ § 1 hochgehalten. Foto: Dirk Knofe

Knowledge creates democracy. The library of St Paul’s Church, Frankfurt

Virtual exhibition

Homepage of the virtual exhibition "Wissen schafft Demokratie. Die Bibliothek der Paulskirche (Knowledge creates democracy. The library of St Paul’s Church, Frankfurt)" of the German National Library.

Art and crisis.
Klee, Kokoschka, Kollwitz & Co. save the Book Museum from closure

Virtual exhibition

Screenshot of the virtual exhibition’s start page.

Woher? Weshalb? Warum?
Provenance stories from the German Museum of Books and Writing

Virtual exhibition

Landing page of the virtual exhibition with the title. The spines of books can be seen in the background. A round red sticker with a black triangle has been affixed to each of them.

... schreib mal wieder! (Write again!) The cultural history of letters

Virtual exhibition

Homepage oft he virtual exhibition “...schreib mal wieder! (Write again!) The cultural history of letters”

Small. From the estate of typographer Jan Tschichold

Virtual exhibition

Homepage of the virtual exhibition “Small. From the estate of typographer Jan Tschichold“. On the left a New Year's card dating from 1937, on the right a photograph of a woman with the words “der berufsphotograph” superimposed in colourful lettering.

On the history of newspaper printing

Virtual exhibiton

Homepage of the virtual exhobition "On the History of Newspaper Printing" (Zur Geschichte des Zeitungsdrucks)

5,000 Years of Media History Online

Virtual exhibition

Homepage of the virtual exhibition „Signs - Books - Networks" of the German National Library

Rühr mich nicht an!

A virtual exhibition on the cultural history of social distancing

Title page of the virtual exhibition „Rühr mich nicht an!“. A family portrait from the 19th century shows an arrow between two people bearing the legend “1.5 m”. These arrows asked people to comply with distancing rules during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vom Waisenkind zum Millionär. 200 Jahre Heinrich Klemm

Virtual exhibition

Homepage of the virtual exhibition "Vom Waisenkind zum Millionär. 200 Jahre Heinrich Klemm"

Bahnriss?! Papier | Kultur

Virtual exhibition

Logo der virtuellen Ausstellung „Bahnriss?! Papier - Kultur“ der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek

Exhibition archive of the German Museum of Books and Writing

To the archive

Cultural services

We regularly offer a wide variety of guided tours and events focusing on media history. You will find all the dates in our events calendar. Groups can make separate appointments on request.

Preschoolers, schoolchildren, families and adults: our Hands-On Museum has something for everyone. It offers a wide range of events relating to writing, books, printing and paper.

We also offer numerous points of contact with school curricula, for example in the subjects of German, history, general studies and religion. Educators can take part in training sessions on our premises.

AugenRausch – New podcast by the German Museum of Books and Writing

Visual arts for listeners: "AugenRausch", the new podcast by the German Museum of Books and Writing at the German National Library, will be launched in mid-March 2024. The podcast focuses on images as a source of knowledge: comics, manga, picture stories, illustrations, infographics, icons – the world is full of image-based knowledge.

AugenRausch

With more than one million objects, the media history collection of the German Museum of Books and Writing is one of the most extensive in the world.

Along with manuscripts, historic prints and modern book art, you will find a wide range of archival materials and legacies focusing on the history of books, writing and media, the world’s biggest watermark collection, graphics, decorated papers, early writing surfaces and implements, and book and paper-making machinery and equipment that go right up to the present day. The links integrated into the collections facilitate a complex, interdisciplinary approach to issues in cultural and media studies. At the same time, the Museum is a chamber of marvels containing objects that never fail to amaze.

Use and service

Our modern museum reading room provides access to our international specialised library and our treasury of more than one million objects for research, study and practical purposes.

Opening hours are from Monday to Sunday 10:00–18:00.

Museum and research

We carry out research on our collections in cooperation with our partners in the fields of cultural studies, media studies and history. We hold seminars and workshops to further the education of up-and-coming researchers. Our digitisation and data projects are making a significant contribution to the digital humanities.

Contact

Exhibition, guided tours and events

Phone +49 341 2271-324

To the events calendar

Using the Museum Reading Room

Phone +49 341 2271-318

To the Museum Reading Room

Adress