Piano Museum Haus Eller, Musical instrument museum in Bergheim, Germany

Piano Museum Haus Eller displays over 80 stringed keyboard instruments from various European countries, including concert grand pianos and square pianos from 1750 onwards. The collection also features specialized upright piano forms and historical keyboard instruments from the 20th century.

Haus Eller is a former three-sided farmstead whose half-timbered dwelling dates to 1778, as shown by the original gate hinge; the brick facade was added in 1850. It is named after the Eller family, whose last member, Christian Eller (d. 1930), was mayor of Ahe and funded the village church built in 1929. Music publisher Christoph Dohr installed his piano collection here, opening it to guided groups in 2007.

Inside the museum, musicians perform using authentically restored instruments to play compositions from the 18th and 19th centuries. These performances keep alive the tradition of how these keyboards were actually played in home parlors and concert halls.

Visits are by appointment only, so call ahead to arrange a guided tour at your preferred time. The museum operates year-round in Bergheim, and arranging in advance ensures you get a slot that works with your schedule.

Among the instruments is a 1935 "Pianochord" by Theodor Mannborg of Leipzig, a small piano bearing the serial number 53257. The collection also holds a 1903 pedal piano by Wilhelm Hirl of Berlin and a c. 1910 self-playing "Theinola" from Bremen. These special forms sit alongside the grand and square pianos.