Rock'n'popmuseum

What Rock'n'popmuseum does

Rock'n'popmuseum gGmbH is a non-profit cultural institution headquartered in Gronau, North Rhine-Westphalia, operating a multimedia museum on the cultural history of 20th-century popular music. Founded in 2004 and renovated in 2018 under the 'Hören, Sehen, Fühlen' concept, it employs roughly 12 people and serves general public visitors, families, school and daycare groups, senior nostalgia tourists, Dutch-speaking cross-border visitors, and corporate/private event clients. Its core product is a permanent exhibition built around themed islands (Rebellion, Live on Stage, Performance) with an integrated audio guide, a Udo Lindenberg multi-monitor entrance animation, and the world-unique, fully functional CAN recording studio relocated to its basement in 2007.

The business model combines per-visitor admission (EUR 14.50 adults, EUR 35 families, with discounted tiers for students, schools, groups, and 60+ guided tours including coffee and cake at EUR 23), event programming in the 300-capacity Musikclub Turbine (live music, DJ events, weddings, corporate hire), a greenbox/karaoke video studio (EUR 9.90 USB souvenir), the Café Backstage, and the museum shop. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via the on-site box office and proprietary online ticket shop, complemented by group and school bookings (advance reservation by phone/email), a network of discount partners (RUHR.TOPCARD, ADAC, RWE Card, EMP, GRONAUENERGIE+), and Groupon-style channels, with international reach via Google Arts & Culture.

Strategically, the museum is investing in content IP (the June 2026 'Udo L. wohnt im Hotel' exhibition for Lindenberg's 80th birthday, backed by federal, state, city, and Brost-Stiftung funding), youth programming (rock'n'popAkademie since 2023 with Musikschule Gronau and producer Dennis Buss), and institutional positioning (Bundesverband Pop membership since November 2024; BMBF-funded research with Universität Freiburg and Hochschule Franz Liszt Weimar). Public-sector and foundation support — plus the Freundeskreis e.V. friends association — underpins the gGmbH's operating base, while content and curated events drive revenue diversification beyond ticket sales.

Name

Rock'n'popmuseum

Legal name

rock'n'popmuseum gGmbH

Website

https://rock-popmuseum.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Museum

NAICS

Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)

Keywords

• Music museum exhibitions
• Cultural heritage tourism
• Interactive museum exhibits
• Live music venue events
• Educational guided tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Gronau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission Tickets: Visitors pay admission fees to access the permanent exhibition and any temporary exhibitions. Tickets can be purchased online (time-slot, valid 3 years) or at the museum box office on the day of visit.
2. Musicclub Turbine Venue Hire: The Turbine music club in the museum basement (capacity 300) hosts live music, DJ events, readings, and interdisciplinary cultural events. The venue is also available for private hire including corporate events and weddings.
3. Café Backstage: Café located in the museum entrance area serving light hearty food, cakes, and hot and cold beverages.
4. Museum Shop: Sells catalogues of past exhibitions, music-themed books, merchandise, and souvenirs. Orders can be placed by email.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Rock'n'popmuseum is a non-profit music museum in Gronau that presents the history of German-language rock and pop music through multimedia permanent and rotating exhibitions, including the unique CAN-Studio artifact. Beyond the exhibitions, it operates a live music venue (Musikclub Turbine), a music academy (rock'n'popAkademie), guided tours, a Greenbox karaoke studio, a café, and a museum shop. Programming is supported by sponsored special exhibitions, educational workshops, and partner-based cultural projects.

Product overview

The rock'n'popmuseum is a physical museum and cultural institution in Gronau, Germany, offering a unified portfolio centered around the permanent exhibition (Dauerausstellung) showcasing the cultural history of 20th-century popular music through multimedia and interactive elements. This core experience is complemented by rotating special exhibitions (Sonderausstellungen), the Musikclub Turbine music venue (300-person capacity), the historic CAN-Studio recording studio exhibit, educational workshops including the rock'n'popAkademie music academy, guided tour programs (standard and themed), and visitor amenities such as Café Backstage and the museum shop. The museum also offers venue rental services and hosts events ranging from concerts to weddings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Musikclub Turbine: A music club in the basement of the museum with space for 300 guests, featuring live music, DJ events, temporary exhibitions, and cultural events. Available for private hire including company events.
• Café Backstage
• rock'n'popAkademie
• CAN-Studio

Products and services

• Dauerausstellung (Permanent Exhibition) Permanent multimedia exhibition covering the history of German-language rock and pop music, including the iconic CAN-Studio, multi-monitor video walls, and audio guides. Open to the public during regular museum hours.
• CAN-Studio exhibit Installation of the historic CAN recording studio equipment, including the original mixing console, tape machines, and recording gear, on display as a centerpiece of the museum.
• Sonderausstellung "Udo L. wohnt im Hotel" Upcoming special exhibition exploring Udo Lindenberg's hotel stays and travels, with accompanying program. Ticket included in regular museum admission.
• Sonderausstellung "Guitar Heroes – Hard'n Heavy" Special exhibition featuring hard rock and heavy metal guitarists, with ticket included in regular museum admission.
• Sonderausstellung "Disco – Cool, Chic, Crazy" Special exhibition exploring the disco era with a focus on cool, chic, and crazy aspects of the movement. Ticket included in regular museum admission.
• Musikclub Turbine live music venue On-site live music venue hosting concerts and events, also available for private hire including weddings, birthdays, and corporate functions.
• Guided Tours (Führungen) Guided museum tours for groups, including specialized 60+ tours for seniors and the "Panic History Tour" with music guide Hanspeter Dickel. Priced at 8.50 EUR per adult group member.
• rock'n'popAkademie music academy Educational workshop program offering music-industry and music-history related courses and activities for participants of varied ages.
• Greenbox karaoke and recording studio Interactive recording studio where visitors can film themselves in a green-screen setup and record their own music videos, with a USB stick available for 9.90 EUR.
• Café Backstage On-site café offering food and beverages to museum visitors.
• Museum Shop On-site retail shop selling music-related merchandise, souvenirs, and exhibition-related products, including the book "Die Krupps – Industries" and music memorabilia.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 special exhibitions shown since opening in 2004.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bundesverband Pop (BV Pop)coreOthers · 1 November 2024Since November 2024, the rock'n'popmuseum has been a member of the Bundesverband Pop — the competence network for pop music and pop culture in Germany.
• Musikschule Gronau (Gronau Music School)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Since 2023, the music school has partnered with the rock'n'popmuseum and musician Dennis Buss to run the rock'n'popAkademie — a series of music workshops for youth including producing, band coaching, songwriting, and live performance. The music school is responsible for band coaching and music-making components of the program.
• Dennis Buss (DB Recording Studio)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Musician and producer Dennis Buss supports rock'n'popAkademie participants with songwriting and live performances. He also offers professional mobile recording studio sessions as part of the academy program. Dennis Buss also leads rap workshops at the museum.
• Jewish Pop and Popular Music NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2021The rock'n'popmuseum initiated a Letter of Intent signed by experts on 20 November 2021 to dedicate efforts to the research and visualization of Jewish pop and popular music in German-speaking countries. Contact: Britta Drewitz.
• Archivnetzwerk Pop (Archive Network Pop)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2018The rock'n'popmuseum participates in the Archive Network Pop — a German-wide association of archives, museums, and private collectors with pop culture collections, aiming to systematically preserve and make accessible pop cultural sources.
• Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt WeimarminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Research partner in the BMBF-funded project 'Musikobjekte der populären Kultur' (September 2018 – December 2021). Focused on storage media (CDs, records, tape).
• Freundeskreis des rock'n'popmuseums e.V.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe support/friends association supports the museum's activities financially, ideologically, and through publications. Its main task is networking with media, politics, business, foundations, and sponsors, and assists with acquiring new exhibits and building new temporary exhibitions.
• L'Unique FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerA Swiss non-profit foundation managing one of the most significant private collections of Celebrity Art and Rock Memorabilia. Parts of the collection are displayed in the rock'n'popmuseum. Special thanks are extended to Udo Lindenberg and L'Unique Foundation for supporting the museum.
• Kulturstrolche (Cultural Trolls project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe museum participates in the Kulturstrolche project — a cultural education initiative bringing together elementary schools, cultural institutions, and local artists. Gronau is currently taking part with three elementary schools.
• Hochschule für Musik und Theater MünchenminorOthersListed as a partner institution in the network page of the rock'n'popmuseum.
• Zentrum für populäre Kultur und Musik, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität FreiburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in the BMBF-funded project 'Musikobjekte der populären Kultur' (2018-2021), which examined the 'language of music objects'. While Freiburg researched playback devices, the rock'n'popmuseum focused on musical instruments.
• Grundschule Gronau (Elementary Schools)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree elementary schools in Gronau participate in the Kulturstrolche project, visiting the museum and other cultural institutions regularly.
• Hanspeter DickelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent city archivist and tour guide offering 'Panic History Tour' focused on Udo Lindenberg and Gronau. Tour tickets sold exclusively through him; participants receive discounted museum admission.
• Kulturbüro Gronau GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-representative of cultural activists in Gronau alongside the rock'n'popmuseum. Both institutions jointly participated in the 2024 Kommunale Gesamtkonzept competition and were recognized by Minister Ina Brandes.
• Bund (Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe federal commissioner supported the special exhibition 'Udo L. wohnt im Hotel' opening June 2026, enabling the museum's major new showcase about Udo Lindenberg's 80th birthday.
• Brost-StiftungcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSupported the realization of the special exhibition 'Udo L. wohnt im Hotel' opening June 2026.
• Land Nordrhein-Westfalen (State of North Rhine-Westphalia)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerState government support for the special exhibition 'Udo L. wohnt im Hotel' opening June 2026 and for cultural education initiatives.
• Stadt Gronau (City of Gronau)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCity support for the special exhibition 'Udo L. wohnt im Hotel' opening June 2026 and host of the museum at Udo-Lindenberg-Platz 1.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Haus der Musik: Sound and music museum in Vienna. Comparable as an interactive, multimedia music museum offering themed exhibitions, audio experiences, and educational programming for broad audiences — overlapping with rock'n'popmuseum's permanent-exhibition concept.
• The Beatles Story: Music-themed museum in Liverpool dedicated to the Beatles' history. Comparable as a single-site, music-artist-focused cultural institution monetizing through admission, exhibitions, and ancillary retail/F&B, with similar reliance on a single iconic artist brand.
• ABBA The Museum: Music-themed museum in Stockholm dedicated to ABBA. Directly comparable in scope and monetization model — permanent and rotating exhibitions, café, museum shop, and interactive experiences — and operates in a similarly small Northern European catchment.
• Motown Museum: Detroit museum housed in the original Motown Records studio. Directly comparable as a single-site museum anchored by a single iconic music studio and artist brand, monetizing through tickets, tours, and ancillary programming.

Broad incumbents

• Deutsches Museum: Major Munich science and technology museum with a notable music section. Comparable as a large German cultural institution with museum, education, and event programming, but covering a much broader subject matter.
• Grammy Museum: Music museum in Los Angeles affiliated with the Recording Academy. Comparable as a music-focused cultural institution with rotating exhibitions and educational programming, but with stronger brand and budget tied to the Grammy franchise.
• Cité de la Musique / Philharmonie de Paris: Major Paris-based music museum and concert complex. Comparable in combining music exhibitions with live-performance venue operations (concert halls) and educational programming, but at vastly greater scale and budget.
• MoPOP (Museum of Pop Culture, formerly EMP): Seattle-based pop culture museum covering music, science fiction, and gaming. Overlaps in rock/pop history curation and interactive multimedia exhibitions but operates at much greater scale with diversified subject matter beyond music.
• Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Larger US-based rock and pop music museum and hall of fame. Comparable in subject matter (rock/pop cultural history) but at a vastly larger scale with broader programming, an induction franchise, and a stronger international tourism draw.

Emerging players

• Musical Instrument Museum (MIM): Phoenix-based museum featuring a global collection of musical instruments. Comparable in displaying musical instruments and recording-studio heritage, though with a different collection focus (global instruments vs. European pop/rock).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rock'n'popmuseum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rock'n'popmuseum