Museum Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum - Stadtgeschichtliches Museum Leipzig

In the location's words:

Between the coffee wreath and world market politics

Located in the heart of the old town, the "Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum" is one of the oldest coffee houses in Europe. Saxony's favorite hot drink has been served here since 1711. The impressive portal sculpture illustrates a piece of coffee culture history and gave the house its name.

Throughout the centuries, the Coffe Baum has attracted famous guests such as the writer Johann Christoph Gottsched and the composer Robert Schumann. In GDR times, the members of the artists' café founded in 1978 met here, and later celebrities such as Maximilian Schell, Mario Adorf, Bill Clinton and Kurt Masur frequented the place.

Spiritual and culinary edification have always gone hand in hand at the Coffe Baum. 16 historic rooms invite you to take a tour in the footsteps of coffee. From the strict coffee house regulations of the 18th century to the coffee crisis in the GDR, from the colonial interdependencies of coffee cultivation to global trade relations today - coffee history is multi-faceted. Meet Augustus the Strong, Johann Sebastian Bach and the famous "Gaffeesachsen" with their "Bliemchengaffee" as well as Melitta Bentz' filter bag and the legendary "Moka Efti". We invite you to rediscover this unique baroque monument!

Following extensive renovation work since 2019, the exhibition rooms will be refurbished this year. The exhibition on Leipzig's coffee house culture will be reworked in terms of content and design and will be open to visitors again from July 1, 2025.