Knoblauchhaus

Christmas House at Knoblauchhaus: A Festive Journey Through Time to Biedermeier Berlin

The Knoblauchhaus is located in the Nikolaiviertel, the oldest part of Berlin, just a few steps from the Spree. It was the residence of the Berlin merchant family Knoblauch and is one of the last houses in the city from the Biedermeier era. It has been accessible as a museum since 1989. The living rooms are furnished as they would have looked between 1815 and the Revolution of 1848; the kitchen shows its state from 1830. The family was rooted in Berlin for generations: Carl Knoblauch’s son Hermann became an experimental physicist and taught in Berlin, Bonn, Marburg, and Halle; another family member designed the New Synagogue on Oranienburger Straße. From November 28, 2026, to January 10, 2027, the house will transform into a Christmas house on three floors, telling the story of where today’s Christmas traditions originate. Admission costs 7.00 Euros, children and young people under 18 pay nothing. A combi-ticket for the three museums in the Nikolaiviertel is also available, valid for two consecutive days.

Historical Toys, Paper Theater, and Christmas Audio Guide for Families

Inside, the library and living room smell of cinnamon and cookies, accompanied by Christmas songs and stories. Historical toys and original Christmas decorations from the period are displayed in the showcases. A dedicated Christmas audio guide leads visitors through the rooms; a special version is available for families, and a free children’s companion booklet in five languages is provided in the entrance area. In December, two additional events will take place. The Gunniville Paper Theater Berlin will perform “The Snow Queen,” freely adapted from Hans Christian Andersen, in twelve scenes on December 13, 2026, and on December 19, 2026, Karl-Heinz Barthelmeus and Christian Zacker will present “200 Years of Christmas,” with poems and stories accompanied by flute. In the Berlin Salon of the Knoblauchhaus, visitors encounter friends of the family, including Karl Friedrich Schinkel, as well as Wilhelm and Alexander von Humboldt. One floor up, Carl Knoblauch dedicated a separate cabinet in 1835 to the painter Raphael, featuring copperplate engravings based on his works, which has been faithfully reconstructed.