[5] Ernst Beutler, the Hochstift’s director from 1925 to 1960,[6] expanded the collection by purchasing the manuscripts of Achim and Bettina von Arnim and Novalis.

Beutler wanted to open a museum to display them in the house of the Brentano family [de] in Große Sandgasse, but that building was destroyed by bombing in World War II.

[5] In 2012, the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels departed its premises at Großer Hirschgraben 17–21 (the plot adjacent to the Goethe House), which presented the opportunity for the Hochstift to take over the property.

[1] When the city of Frankfurt withdrew from financing the project, the art dealer Karsten Greve donated 1 million Euro towards the building.

[12][13] Architect Christoph Mäckler had to solve the problem of designing a building for exhibits which required protection from exposure to light,[14] while avoiding the creation of a windowless facade next to the historic Goethe House.