The Goethe monument, made of granite from the Fichtel Mountains, was donated by a citizien of Wiesbaden and was built by the Munich sculptor Hermann Hahn. 1919 the monument was erected in front of the Museum Wiesbaden. The reason for this location was the cooperation of Goethe concerning the establishment of the museum in 1814 and 1815.

Two days before the 250. birthday of Goethe - 26 august 1999 - the monument was arranged onto a foundation again in front of the museum. Not in front of the entrance but at the beginning of the stairs.

1992 the director of the museum decided to move the monument into the atrium of the museum. As the public objected the monument was placed in front of the museum again.