The museum is located in the building where Brandt's grandfather owned a grocery shop, though he was not born in this specific structure.
The exhibition includes personal artifacts, including the Nobel Peace Prize medal Brandt received in 1971.
The building's architecture reflects the typical gabled style characteristic of Lübeck’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The museum is operated by the Federal Chancellor Willy Brandt Foundation, which also maintains a sister site in Berlin.
It features a dedicated section on Brandt's resistance activities against the Nazi regime while in exile in Norway and Sweden.
The Willy Brandt House in Lübeck is a permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and political career of the former German Chancellor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who was born in this city. Housed in a historic building dating back to 1579, the museum documents Brandt’s journey from his Lübeck childhood to his role in shaping modern German democracy and European integration. Visitors navigate a chronological narrative featuring original documents, photographs, and film footage covering the Weimar Republic, his exile during the Nazi era, and his chancellorship. The exhibition highlights the 'Ostpolitik' policy, which sought to reconcile West Germany with Eastern European nations. It functions as both a biographical archive and a space for political education regarding human rights and democracy. The site is curated to provide a personal perspective on 20th-century history, focusing on Brandt’s moral stance against dictatorship. Educational installations allow for interactive engagement with his political rhetoric and decisions.
The restored historic facade of the building from across Königstraße.
Combine your visit with a walking tour of the nearby UNESCO-listed Lübeck Old Town.
Look for the multimedia stations which provide context on his famous 1970 Kniefall von Warschau.
Check the library space upstairs for quiet reading if you are interested in deep-dive historical research.
Do not mistake this for the Willy Brandt House in Berlin, which focuses more on his political legacy in the capital.
Closed on Mondays.
