In Markneukirchen, musical instruments and sound take centre stage: the Musical Instrument Museum combines an extensive collection with a variety of buildings and the World Music Garden. Visitors planning a stay can pair their museum visit with a look at the diversity of European and non-European instruments. For travel by public transport, one described route goes via Adorf/Vogtland or Schöneck and continues to the Markneukirchen bus station.
Instruments, buildings and sound installations
The Musical Instrument Museum complex includes the Gerber-Hans-Haus, a historic sawmill, the Paulus-Schlössel and the World Music Garden. The collection features European instruments arranged by type, as well as an extensive collection of instruments from other parts of the world. This brings different perspectives on music and instrument making together: the classification by instrument type and a view of instruments from beyond Europe.
The museum displays almost 1,600 musical instruments from around the world. The World Music Garden offers a different focus: it features playable or interactive sound installations and structures representing different continents. Together, the collection and garden connect instruments and sounds with different ways of exploring them. Anyone with a particular interest in instruments will find a broad range of themes at the museum; visitors who want to explore sounds for themselves can plan to visit the garden as a separate part of the complex.
Plan your journey to the museum
By public transport, you can take a train to Adorf/Vogtland or Schöneck and then continue by bus to the Markneukirchen bus station. From the bus station, it is about a five-minute walk to the museum. This time refers to the final walk, not the entire journey. Check current train and bus connections before travelling so you can plan the right route for your visit.
More places to explore in the wider Vogtland travel region
The wider Vogtland travel region also offers other cultural and scenic highlights. The Sparkasse Vogtland Arena in Klingenthal is home to one of Europe’s most modern large ski jumps. An adventure railway takes visitors to the 32-metre-high take-off tower, which offers views over Klingenthal. Alongside instruments and sound installations, this distinctive structure and its view of the town provide another topic to explore in Vogtland.
In Bad Elster, the Royal Grounds combine extensive historic parks with spa architecture of great cultural and historical significance. Bad Elster also has ten mineral springs and natural moorland. The Göltzsch Viaduct offers a different architectural highlight: it is one of the two largest brick bridges in the world. These examples reflect the range of interests in the wider Vogtland travel region, from parks and spa architecture to a large brick bridge.
Crafts and regional cuisine are also part of Vogtland’s appeal. Musical instruments have been made in the Upper Vogtland for more than 350 years; the instrument collection in Markneukirchen can be viewed in this regional context. A Vogtland speciality is green dumplings made from raw, grated potatoes. If you want to include cycling in your plans, it is also useful to know that most cycle routes in Vogtland run close to bus or train stops. Bicycles can be carried free of charge in Vogtland, subject to available vehicle capacity.
Discover more destinations: LandwĂĽst, Neustadt/Vogtland, Zwoschwitz, Neuensalz, Elsterberg, Tannenbergsthal, Bad Brambach, Klingenthal.
Return to the wider travel overview: Vogtland.
