The New Collection of the Pinkaothek der Moderne in Munich was founded on 21 May 1925. Exactly 100 years later, the museum is showing an exhibition with 100 objects. The anniversary presentation documents the breadth and diversity of the collection. With over 120,000 international objects in more than 20 collection areas, Die Neue Sammlung is the largest design museum in the world.
Fig. above: Eileen Grey, S-Chair, 1938, André-Joseph Roattino (signed), Vastellar, France, photo: Die Neue Sammlung (Alexander Laurenzo)
In addition to iconic works and evidence of the collection’s history, numerous treasures that have never before been on display at the Pinakothek der Moderne will be on show. The presentation does not follow a traditional chronology. Instead, it focusses on the time in which the objects came to the museum, thus providing a new perspective on the history of the museum.
Since its foundation in 1925, Die Neue Sammlung has been the first state design museum in Germany to collect contemporary art. It acquires at international trade fairs, from educational institutions – at the time directly from the Bauhaus and the Burg Giebichenstein School of Arts and Crafts – or directly from designers. Donations, bequests and purchases from the art trade are added in a targeted manner.
The initial focus was on serial and handicraft products such as objects made of glass, ceramics and metal, furniture, textiles, wickerwork as well as packaging, posters and books. Against the backdrop of the prospering Federal Republic of Germany, a wide range of technical devices also became an important focus of collecting activities from the post-war period onwards. Art Nouveau works such as the Paris metro station by Hector Guimard were rediscovered from the 1960s onwards. The first museum exhibition by Bernd and Hilla Becher in 1967 also led to photography becoming an object of the collection.
Computer and vehicle design, sports objects, secondary architecture, design systems and graphic images expanded the collection in the 1980s. Revolutionary anti-design by Alchimia and Memphis, however, only found its way into Die Neue Sammlung in the 1990s, the content of which had until then been characterised by the ideals of the Deutscher Werkbund. The jewellery section was given a new focus at that time with a turn towards author’s jewellery. With the reunification of the two German states, GDR design also came into focus.
While design from the USA and Japan has traditionally been strongly represented, interest has expanded to other non-European cultural areas in the last 20 years. Current themes in the collection include AI, robotics, sustainability, social design and inclusion.
COLLECTION ONLINE:
To mark the anniversary, Die Neue Sammlung is also presenting part of its collection digitally for the first time. Thanks to the ‘kultur.digital.strategie’ grant from the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts, over 1,000 objects can be explored online – including the highlights of the collection. The online collection is linked to the museum’s accessible website. In addition to the object details, there are images from different perspectives, 3D views and sounds for individual objects as well as information in German, easy-to-understand language, English, Easy-to-Read and German sign language. The X-D-E-P-O-T and Sound of Design apps will be replaced by corresponding sections in the Collection Online and will appear in a new look. This means that visitors will not only be able to access the Collection Online from home, but also in the exhibition rooms. Based on this, there will be an accompanying digital exhibition in the summer, which is being created in cooperation with the Deutsches Museum: objects from the museums, which are both celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, will be juxtaposed.
The online collection is set to grow steadily and was created as part of the ‘Experience inclusive design’ project. With this project, Die Neue Sammlung has been endeavouring to create accessible and digital offerings since 2022. Recently, visitors were greeted in German sign language at the entrance to the design collection: a video in the loop shows the museum signer Kilian Knörzer on a life-size screen. With all these offerings, the museum is taking another step towards its goal of making good design accessible to everyone – a guiding principle that the museum has followed since it was founded.
Simultaneous translation into German sign language will be provided for the opening.
WHEN?
Opening: Wednesday, 21th May 2025, 7 pm.
Exhibition period: Thursday, 22nd May 2025 – Sunday, 30th May 2027
WHERE?
Pinakothek of Modern Art
Barer Str. 40
80333 Munich
