Niederegger Marzipan Museum, Lübeck

Thomas Mann in marzipan, life-size: the Niederegger Marzipan Museum shows twelve famous figures modelled in almond paste, all of them fans of Lübeck marzipan. The small museum is on the second floor of Niederegger's flagship house on Breite Straße, opposite Lübeck's town hall, and admission is free. If you are looking for a "marzipan factory" in Lübeck, this is the best way in: a film in the museum shows how the marzipan is made today.

History: from an Ulm confectioner to a global brand

Johann Georg Niederegger came from Ulm and arrived in Lübeck in 1800, working in a confectionery on the market square. On 1 March 1806 he took over the business. Soon afterwards Napoleon's Continental Blockade cut off supplies of almonds and sugar; production stopped completely in 1811/12, after which smugglers via Heligoland kept it going. In 1822 Niederegger moved into the house on the corner of Breite Straße and Hüxstraße, still the flagship store today. It was destroyed in the air raid of March 1942, and the present facade dates from 1948. Production moved to a factory outside the old town long ago: according to the company, up to 30 tonnes of marzipan are made there every day, from almonds and sugar in a ratio of two to one, ground on granite rollers and roasted over an open flame.

What to see

• The marzipan figures: Twelve life-size personalities in marzipan, from Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen to Thomas Mann and Wolfgang Joop.
• The journey through time: An almond column and a sugar column trace the origins of the ingredients, along with the legend of how marzipan was invented and figures from different eras.
• The original recipe: On display is the Niederegger recipe handed down from 1806.
• The film: It shows how marzipan is made in the factory today.
• Café and shop: The ground-floor Marzipanerie sells more than 300 specialities, and the café upstairs serves the famous Niederegger nut cake. Opposite, under the town hall arcades, is the Arkadencafé.

Opening hours and admission (as of October 2026)

The museum is free to visit during the opening hours of the flagship house:

• Monday to Friday: 09:00–19:00
• Saturday: 09:00–18:00, on Advent Saturdays 09:00–19:00
• Sunday: 10:00–18:00
• Holidays: Christmas Eve 09:00–13:00, New Year's Eve 09:00–13:30, closed on 25/26 December and New Year's Day.

Groups can book guided tours in advance, including a marzipan-modelling demonstration by a confectioner.

Getting there and factory outlet

The address is Breite Straße 89, 23552 Lübeck, in the heart of the old town opposite the town hall steps. If you are looking for the factory: the factory outlet is at Zeiss-Straße 1–7 in the Genin business park (Monday to Friday 08:00–17:00, Saturday 09:00–14:00); a short film there gives an insight into production. Factory tours are not offered on the website.

Tripto tip

The museum takes 20 to 30 minutes, or a good hour with cake in the café. During Advent the house is very busy, and on Advent weekends the café only accepts table reservations until 11:00, so come early in the morning. St Mary's Church and the town hall are just a few steps away.