Couven-Museum

The Couven Museum in Aachen is a municipal museum that presents middle-class domestic life of the 18th and early 19th centuries in authentically furnished rooms. It is named after the Aachen Baroque architects Johann Joseph and Jakob Couven, who not only shaped the city's architecture but also designed parts of its interior furnishings. The idea for founding the museum goes back to the art historian Felix Kuetgens, who opened it in 1929 in Haus Fey. Because that building burned out completely in World War II, the museum reopened in 1958 in Haus Monheim on the Hühnermarkt. This location lies in the Old Town, close to City Hall and the cathedral, and consists of several historic building sections grouped around an inner courtyard.

Instead of a mere collection of objects, you'll find harmonious ensembles that illustrate the changing styles of interior design, from late Baroque and Rococo through Empire to Biedermeier. The rooms are fitted with original fireplaces, doors, stucco ceilings, and parquet floors, some of them salvaged from destroyed buildings. Highlights include the Beissel Tapestry Room, the Hall of the Joseph Legend with its historic wallpaper, and the Burtscheid Room. You can also see a tile collection and various display cases with porcelain and silver. So as not to disturb the impression of period living spaces, the museum largely does without labels on individual objects, which has earned it the nickname "Aachen's good parlor."

In addition to the permanent exhibition, the museum uses its rooms for changing special exhibitions on decorative arts and cultural history. The large banquet hall also serves as a venue for concerts, lectures, and other cultural events, including the chamber concert series "Vier im Couven." Since 2016, the museum has been part of the Route Charlemagne, which links the historic monuments of Aachen's city center. Regular guided tours and special programs for school classes offer a deeper insight into the history and craftsmanship of past centuries.