Travel through time at the Farina Museum – Home of the World’s oldest perfume
Discover over 300 years of fragrance history at the birthplace of the original Eau de Cologne – where a secret recipe inspired emperors, seduced queens and gave its name to an entire fragrance class.
- Multi-sensory experience in the historic Farina House
- History of Eau de Cologne – from its creation to the brand icon
- Fragrance stations with natural essences to smell
- Historic flacons, portraits and original interiors
- Visit only possible as part of a guided tour (multilingual)
It was here that Johann Maria Farina invented the original Eau de Cologne in 1709, the epochal perfume that reminded him of an Italian spring morning after the rain.
A unique multi-sensorial experience in the heart of Cologne.
The display cases show the development of Eau de Cologne through three centuries:
historic flacons, rococo furniture, portraits of the Farina family and manuscripts from the archives – each piece tells a chapter of fragrance history.
The essence room – where fragrances come to life.
Find out how essential oils are obtained: through enfleurage, distillation and extraction.
At the fragrance station, you can smell real raw materials – the final chapter of the tour and an experience that will stay with you.
Plan your visit
Here you can find detailed information to plan your visit and fully enjoy the experience.
Our tours can host a maximum of 20 people and are not suggested for children under 6 years old.
Weekdays
Regular tours in different languages, held by a museum guide.
Duration: approx. 45 minutes
Prices:
Adults: 10 €
Children (up to 17 years): 8 €
Weekends and Thursday afternoons
Historical tours in different languages, led by an actor in Rococo costume as Farina perfumer.
Duration: approx. 45 minutes
Prices:
Adults: 15 €
Children (up to 17 years): 10 €
Rebooking or cancellation
Tickets are non-refundable, but can be moved to another date up to 24 hours before the start – please inform us by email.
We recommend FlexTicket for maximum flexibility.
With a FlexTicket rebooking or cancellation with full refund is possible until 1 hour before the start of your tour.
Contact: museum@farina.org
Important information and restrictions
Entry including fragrance gift
Our tours include a small gift.
The tour is not recommended for children under 6 years.
Accessibility
Due to the historical building structure, the museum is unfortunately not accessible for wheelchairs, walkers or strollers. Toilets are also not available.
Photos & Videos
In order to preserve the experience for all guests, photography or filming is not permitted.
Wardrobe
Bags and personal items can be safely stored in the free cloakroom area.
Pets
Service dogs are welcome. Other animals can not be brought along.
Thank you for your understanding – and enjoy your journey into the world of Original Eau de Cologne.
FAQs
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes, early booking is strongly recommended. Our guided tours are often fully booked – especially at weekends and in the high season.
If places are available, a spontaneous visit is also possible – but we cannot guarantee this. To plan ahead, please book online in advance.
How can I make a group reservation?
You can book up to 10 tickets by our reservation form, for historical and regular public guided tour. You can also book a private tour for up to 20 participans. Tours are available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Chinese.
What if I can’t join the tour I booked for?
Tickets are not refundable, but you can move your booking to any other available tour up to 24 hours before the tour you won’t attend.
For more flexibility, choose a FlexTicket while booking: it allows to move or cancel your reservation with full refund up to 1 hour before the tour start.
Every request must be written to: museum@farina.org
Is the museum accessible for people with mobility limitations?
Due to an historical preservation order on Farina-House, the museum is unfortunately not accessible with wheelchairs, walkers and strollers.
For the same reason, we do not have toilet facilities available for visitors. We recommend using facilities in the surroundings before your visit.
Pets or other animals are not allowed inside the museum, with the only exception of service dogs.
Are photographs and videos allowed inside the museum?
Photography is not permitted in our museum. However, professional photography or filming can be requested in advance with permission, to be requested in advance by writing an email to: museum@farina.org. Please respect the historic nature of our artifacts and follow your guide’s instructions.
Join an exclusive guided tour across the rooms where Johann Maria Farina created the Original Eau de Cologne in 1709
We welcome guests from all over the world, offering tours every hour in different languages. The duration of the museum tour is approximately 45 minutes. Please book in advance, as we can only offer limited seats.
Due to an historical preservation order on Farina-House, the museum is unfortunately not weelchair accessible.
The perfect gift for every sense
Give the gift of an extraordinary sensory journey through history with a Farina Fragrance Museum tour experience.
Treat your loved ones to an exclusive behind-the-scenes discovery of the world’s oldest perfume house, where they’ll uncover the fascinating 300-year story of Eau de Cologne’s invention right in its birthplace