The Brahms-Institue at the MHL was founded in 1992 with the support of the Cultural Foundation of the German Federal States, the state Schleswig-Holstein, the Possehl Foundation and the Dräger Foundation as well as the regional state bank. Basis of the institutes stock is the Hofmann Collection including autographs, engraver's models, transcriptions, letters, photos and first- and early printings. In 1992 the MHL initiated the annual Brahms-Festival to inspirit this affiliation. Lecturers and students perform compositions by Brahms and his contemporaries as well as putting their works in an historical and current context. Since 1993 the MHL selectively asked artists to create artwork with reference to Brahms to accomplish an intermediary context to the fine arts. Throughout time a series of diverse and individual artworks developed in which the artists expressed their own impressions through commenting or counterpointing. The differing artworks interrelate and form a unique Brahms-Gallery that can't be found anywhere else in the world.

In 2014 the MHL published a booklet accompanying the Brahms-Gallery with illustrations and texts including introductions and memos the artists wrote during interviews with Prof. Dr. Friedhelm Döhl. Döhl is the former principal of the MHL who initiates the Brahms-Festival and the Brahms-Gallery. The booklet is obtainable at the MHL-Shop.