The Jazzinstitut Darmstadt is a cultural institution of the City of Sciences Darmstadt. The Jazzinstitut Darmstadt houses Europe’s largest public jazz archive. In the Institut’s collection you will find books, periodicals, recordings, photos … and much more information about the history and current developments of jazz all over the world. Founded in September 1990, the Jazzinstitut is housed in a baroque hunting chalet called the Bessunger Kavaliershaus (built between 1709 and 1725) since 1997. The historical vaulted cellar underneath the Jazzinstitut has become a performance space for intimate concerts, among them the concert series “JazzTalk”.

The institute bridges scholarly and practical demands, regional and multi-cultural activities, as well as transnational scholarly discourses in order to support the music and the many people who keep it alive. It has also earned a reputation in the jazz world for its reliable services answering inquiries of any kind.

CORONA-UPDATE:

Since 28 June there are no longer restrictions to visit the Jazzinstitut anymore. Still:  Visitors of the archive will be required to wear a face mask and follow the usual distance and hygiene rules. For more information see our tips for using the Jazzinstitut’s archive. 

Video call to the Jazzinstitut

In addition to all other means of reaching us you will be able to make a video call appointment with us. If you’re interested, please make  an e-mail appointment with us with possible dates/times for you and some information about what you want to talk about. We will then reply with a link for a Webex video session for your meeting.

The Jazzinstitut Darmstadt is a cultural institution of the City of Sciences Darmstadt.