René Lalique: Brustschmuck, Foto: Christoph Sandig

Art Nouveau to Present

The permanent exhibition "Form Art Nouveau to the Present" extends over two floors and brings together around 2,000 objects from the turn of the century to the present day on over 1,200 square meters of space.


The three topics of the upper floor showcase international Art Nouveau – with some exquisite pieces from the Paris World Fair in 1900 – as well as the many manifestations of Art Deco. This is followed by the functionalistic influenced Modernist style, which is particularly visible in the art created by Bauhaus artists. The tour concludes with Scandinavian and German product design from the 1930s and 1940s.


The ground floor is dedicated to design after 1945. International impulses, radical breaks, but also the still vibrant Bauhaus tradition dictate design trends during the first decades after the war. Another central theme is the struggle for the so-called "good form" in both East and West Germany. Further focal points of this exhibition are system design from the 1960s and 1970s and the colorful world of the pop era. These designs are juxtaposed with unique pieces from the studio glass and studio ceramics movement.

The tour ends in the present with the most recent additions to our collection, which have been purchased at the GRASSIMESSE, our international art fair.

In the concluding interactive 360° room installation "Sensory Landscapes”, visitors can get active and test the process of designing themselves.

ALL ROOMS AT A GLANCE

1st floor Art Nouveau
1st floor Art Deco
1st floor Functionalism
Basement 1940s to 1970s
Basement 1970s to Present 
Basement Sensory Landscapes