Pinakothek der Moderne

The Pinakothek der Moderne stands in Munich's Kunstareal (art district) on Barer Straße. Opened in 2002, the museum building brings four independent institutions together under one roof: the Modern Art Collection, the State Graphic Collection, the Architecture Museum of the Technical University of Munich, and Die Neue Sammlung, a design museum. The name derives from the Greek words for painting and storehouse and reflects the building's role as a repository of cultural heritage. Designed by architect Stephan Braunfels, it is regarded by experts as a successful example of modern museum architecture. Funding initially came from private donations before the Free State of Bavaria took over the costs and provided the site of the former Türkenkaserne (Turkish Barracks).

The white exposed-concrete building is distinguished by its open structure. At the heart of the house is a double-shelled rotunda thirty meters in diameter, from which two large staircases lead to the various levels. The design collection is housed on the lower level, while the ground floor holds exhibition spaces for architecture, graphic art, and temporary exhibitions. The upper floor is divided by theme: the west wing houses the classic modernism collection, the east wing the works of contemporary art. Despite the positive architectural reviews, structural defects appeared early on and led to the museum's closure in 2013. A temporary exhibition space was set up during that time so that visitors could continue to see artworks.

The Modern Art Collection is one of the most significant of its kind, comprising more than twenty thousand works, a selection of which is on view in the galleries. It covers all movements of modern art, from Expressionism and Cubism through Surrealism to Pop Art and Minimal Art. The holdings were built up after 1945 through endowments, bequests, and acquisitions. Particularly noteworthy are works by artists such as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Max Beckmann, and members of Die Brücke and Der Blaue Reiter. Contemporary figures such as Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke, and Joseph Beuys are also strongly represented. A special focus lies on Minimal Art, which has its own room installations, as well as on new media, photography, and video.

The State Graphic Collection Munich holds around four hundred thousand sheets from every era of drawing and printmaking, beginning in the fifteenth century. The collection goes back to the holdings of the Wittelsbach dynasty and, despite losses in World War II, is one of the most important in Germany. Its strengths are Old German and Netherlandish works by artists such as Albrecht Dürer and Rembrandt, as well as Italian drawings by Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Because works on paper are sensitive to light, they are not on permanent display but are shown only in changing exhibitions.

Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum ranks among the world's leading design museums and presents the history of design from around 1900 to the present. It is the largest collection of industrial design and covers topics such as vehicle design, computer culture, jewelry, everyday objects, and furniture, including the important Thonet collection. The Architecture Museum of the Technical University of Munich is the largest collection of its kind in Germany. It stages temporary exhibitions of drawings, designs, and models by renowned architects, from Johann Balthasar Neumann and Gottfried Semper to Le Corbusier and Günter Behnisch. The exhibits are complemented by computer animations and films.

For visitors, the Pinakothek der Moderne offers a varied art education program. Guided tours and workshops for all age groups are led by the museum's own team and the Munich Adult Education Center (Volkshochschule). Special hours and programs are available for daycare centers and school classes. A popular attraction for younger visitors is the free discovery tours, designed as a scavenger hunt through the museum and offered in several languages. In addition, children ages five and up can draw, paint, and craft in small groups every Sunday, which makes art more accessible and turns the museum into an interactive experience.