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The Theatre Archive was founded by Prof.Dr. Carl Niessen in the 1920´s of the. Niessen received the first chair for Theatre Science at Cologne University in 1924.

His institute collection of historical and up-to-date media belonging to the theatre was to serve his students as illustrative as well as research material. Apart from this he strove for a connection between science and the public in form of a theatre museum which was inaugurated in the city of Cologne in 1931. After a fire in 1942 the material shown in the museum had to be evacuated.

In 1955 the collection found its domicile in Wahn manor house. This should only have been a temporary location, as the condition of the rented castle did neither allow adequate storing nor enlisting and working with the material, but this state of affairs-as it is often found with temporary solutions- finally became established as the permanent home for the collection as is grew through the years.

It was enlarged by single articles, heritages and extensive special collections. Among these collections is Carl Niessen´s private collection which he sold to Cologne university in 1959 in order to be able to finance the Niessen Foundation which is still active today.

Whereas Niessen's successors had pressed on a seperation of the "museum" from both: Wahn Manor and the university, it was decided in 1980 -under a new director- to leave the collection permanently at Wahn Manor and entrusted to the University. This met with the decision taken by the land NRW, the university and last but not least the owner of Wahn manor house: Robin Freiherr von Eltz-Rübenach to invest in the house, which was then renovated within 15 years according to the collection's necessities.

Parallel to the renovation of the house a consolidation of the collection took place: the material was inspected anew, scientifically examined, stored in a appropriate way, and , when necessary, restored. But first of all the most urgent task was a registration of the collection. This was initiated during renovation for it had been previously impossible to create a practical catalogue of all objects gathered due to the Manors disrepair.These decisions and measures led admittedly also to the final parting of the conception of a museum, which had become questionable in the meantime, in favour of a now clear academic orientation of the house. Since 1993 it is officially called "Theatre Archive".