The room is dominated by the surviving original puppet theatre that occupied an important place in Johann Wolfgang and Cornelia’s childhood. It had been a Christmas gift from their grandmother, who has created – as Goethe recalls – “a new world in the old house. This surprising spectacle appealed powerfully to the young minds; especially, it made a strong impression on the boy, with significant and lasting results."

The puppet theatre is on loan from the Historisches Museum Frankfurt. The scenographic image on the opposite wall illustrates how it might have looked in use during Goethe’s childhood. The seed of Goethe’s later passion for the theatre was already planted with the puppet theatre. “Children need comedies and puppets ”, he states in his novel Wilhelm Meisters Theatrical Mission.