Visiting the Beethoven Center
Operating Hours
Please see below for visitor information. We are open to the public on Mondays from 10 am - 12 pm and 2 pm - 5 pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:45 am - 11:45 am. For specific research visits outside of our operating hours, reach out at least one week in advance to [email protected] to see if we can accommodate your request. Please note holiday closures:
2025 Closures
May 26
June 19
July 4
September 1
November 11, 27, 28
December 24, 25, 26, 29, 30
| Monday |
10 am - 12 pm and 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm |
| Tuesday |
9:45 am - 11:45 am |
| Wednesday |
Closed |
| Thursday |
9:45 am - 11:45 am |
| Friday |
Closed |
| Saturday |
Closed |
| Sunday |
Closed |
Visitor Information
Group visits:
The Beethoven Center can accommodate group visits of up to 20 people. We recommend
planning to spend around 45 minutes to one hour in the Center. If you plan to bring
a group, please reach out to [email protected] ahead of the visit to ensure we will be staffed on the day/time of your visit.
What to expect during a group visit
Exhibit
The Beethoven Center has a small exhibit area in which we display items from the collection
such as first edition scores, manuscripts, and engravings from Beethoven’s time. These
displays change on a regular basis and include text cards to guide visitors through
the exhibit.
Keyboard demonstrations
The Center’s keyboard collection is on permanent display and is sometimes used in
our Noontime Concert series (see our events page for upcoming concerts). These instruments are kept in fine working condition, and
text card displays explain their history and mechanics. Visitors are invited to try
out the harpsichord, clavichord, and replica Dulcken fortepiano, though the original
Jakesch and Broadwood fortepianos are not to be played because of their delicate condition.
Our docents can show you how these instruments work and can answer any questions you
may have regarding them.
Docent guidance
Visits to the Beethoven Center are largely self-guided, but our Beethoven Center graduate
student docents will be glad to point you to some highlights of the collection and
answer questions during the visit. For detailed questions about the collection’s holdings
and questions about accessing items for research purposes, please write to [email protected].
Reading room
The Beethoven Center is also a reading room with an extensive research library available
on the open shelves. To navigate the holdings, visitors are welcome to consult the
MLK Library catalog on the computer in the Beethoven Center.
Location & Parking
The Beethoven Center is located on the fifth floor of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library on the campus of San José State University in downtown San José. We are in Room 580 in the Special Collections area.
The address is 150 E. San Fernando Street, at the corner of S. Fourth and San Fernando streets. Public parking is available in the Fourth Street Garage across the street (at 44 S. Fourth St.) and other nearby garages and lots. Metered street parking may also be available.
