Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Marc's pen-and-ink drawing
The Tower of the Blue Horses
(1912). Over 45,000 draw-
ings and roughly 350,000
prints are shown in rotating
exhibitions.
(
The Architecture
on the ground floor of
the Pinakothek der
Moderne.
)
The Design
Collection
Modern utilitarian objects
are the theme of this
nearly 60,000-strong
collection. The exhibits range
from chairs (Thonet room), to
1960s Pop furniture, to objects
from the world of aerodynamics
and computer design.
Olaf Metzel's
Journey to Jerusalem
(2002)
Collection
Some 350,000 architectural
drawings and plans, roughly
100,000 photographs, and
approximately 500 models are
presented in rotating exhibits
Museum &
Art District
Top 10 Events in
Construction of the
Pinakothek der
Moderne
1 1990: Planning begins
2 1992: Stephan Braunfels
wins design competition
3 1993: Bavaria asks that
donations cover 10 per
cent of building costs
4 1994: The PDM Founda-
tion raises 30 million DM
5 1995: Decision is made
to build the museum
6 1996: Turning the sod
7 1998: Raising-of-the-roof
ceremony
8 2000: Dispute over extra
costs (30 million DM)
9 Structural damage on roof
0 2002: Museum opens
Founded by Ludwig I, the Neue Pinakothek was
opened in 1853; it was destroyed in 1944. The
current structure, designed by Alexander von Branca,
was inaugurated nearly four decades later, in 1981.
With a permanent collection of over 4,500 paintings
and 300 sculptures, the Neue Pinakothek is one of
the most important museums of 19th-century art.
The spacious building designed by Stephan Braunfels
for the Pinakothek der Moderne was inaugurated in
2002 as a site for art of the 20th and 21st centuries.
With over 20,000 sq m (215,300 sq ft) of floor space,
the museum provides ample room for both permanent
and special exhibitions. All galleries are grouped around
a central rotunda and linked via a network of stairs. At
first criticized because of the exorbitant building costs
(€121 million), the museum has since been acknow-
ledged as one of the most impressive art collections in
the world. It is also the biggest art museum in Germany.
The three Pinakotheks in the Museum District are
joined by additional museums
such as the Brandhorst
collection, which opened in
early 2009
(see p37)
.
The Glyptothek, the Museum
of Antiquities, and the
Lenbachhaus are within easy
walking distance of each other
and constitute the nexus of
the Art District. The Museum
District is also home to dozens
of private galleries.
Rotunda, Pinakothek der Moderne
17
For an excellent introduction to the Pinakothek der Moderne, visit
www.pinakothek-der-moderne.de
