Linden-Museum Stuttgart

The Linden-Museum on Hegelplatz in Stuttgart is one of the largest ethnological museums in Europe and is jointly funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg and the state capital. The museum's history begins in 1882 with the founding of a colonial society by leading business figures in the region, dedicated to promoting geography and culture. The museum takes its name from the society's chairman at the time, Count Karl von Linden, whose home was a center of intellectual life in Stuttgart. In 1889, the original Museum of Commercial Geography became a scholarly ethnological museum, whose development was also supported financially by Württemberg's last king, Wilhelm II. After more than sixty years of private management by the operating association, the state and the city took over public sponsorship in 1973.

The neoclassical building still in use today opened in 1911, based on plans by architect Georg Eser and the firm Bihl & Woltz. By then, the collections already comprised around 63,000 objects. Today the museum houses roughly 160,000 works of art and ritual and everyday objects from Africa, the Americas, the Islamic Orient, Asia, and Oceania. Of particular note is the largest Cameroon collection in Germany. The museum sees itself as a place for intercultural learning and addresses fundamental human themes such as identity, society, and religious beliefs. In addition to the permanent exhibitions, it regularly presents changing special exhibitions, ranging from topics such as Māori culture and shadow theater to current social issues.

The Linden-Museum offers visitors a varied program that goes beyond simply viewing the exhibits. Workshops, lectures, concerts, dance performances, and special tours round out the offerings and appeal to a broad audience. Children and teenagers in particular will find age-appropriate ways in through playful formats, vacation activities, and a youth club where creative projects take shape. There are also tailored educational programs for schools and kindergartens. The museum is currently discussing an expansion and renovation of the existing building, as its spatial layout is considered outdated. Concrete plans for this modernization have yet to be announced, but the museum remains a central place for cultural encounters in Stuttgart.