Arts and culture in Munich

From the Old Masters to the new young things: Munich's museums showcase art from all branches and eras. Here are some exhibitions that you'll definitely want to catch in 2025!

From the Residenz to the Bier- und Oktoberfestmuseum: Munich's city centre is a paradise for museum lovers. An overview.     

Classic, modern, stately, contemporary: four tours through Munich's museums and galleries. A quick glance at all the key artistic highlights.

Interim uses are creative approaches for repurposing temporarily vacant buildings for various purposes. Munich regularly hosts exciting events for anyone who wants to discover the city's dynamic and creative side.

Munich is renowned for its grand museums, but there are also some smaller venues in the city that offer exciting exhibitions and are sometimes real insider tips!

In a building lovingly known as the “Weisswurstkessel” (“sausage pot”) BMW tells the story of its history as a vehicle manufacturer.

Munich is known for its great museums, but there are also plenty of young galleries and art venues in the city that are worth a visit.

Every museum contains an exhibit that is particularly hard work – because it requires especially laborious setup or needs to be monitored. Three conversations.

King Ludwig II of Bavaria, also known as the Fairytale King, built elaborate palaces and innovative devices that were visionary. Here are just five of his amazing inventions.

Munich’s theatres are legendary – and diverse. We have put together a Q and A as a guide to Munich's opera and theatre scene.

Believe it or not, Munich was a pioneer of the German graffiti scene. From a juicy punishment for the first wholetrain in Europe to the Museum of Urban and Contemporary Art: a review.

Awakening in spring, revelry in autumn, retreat in winter: the passage of the seasons as depicted in works of art Three examples from Munich’s galleries.

The Archäologische Staatssammlung is one of the few museums in Munich that our author was not yet familiar with. She was there for the first time after the reopening and felt thoroughly entertained.

Our Munich-based author has been cycling past the Alpine Museum for over 30 years. For the series ‘I've never been ...’ she was finally inside!

Munich, Germany's design capital, ranks alongside international centres such as Barcelona, Milan, Paris, New York, Tokyo and Shanghai. An overview.

The comedy duo Liesl Karlstadt and Karl Valentin were a dream couple in Munich's cultural history – but what about in real life?

Munich’s Bayerisches Nationalmuseum owns the world’s most artistically valuable and extensive collection of nativity scenes. An interview with curator Thomas Schindler.

Some public art in Munich is unknown even to the locals. We present six works of art that can often only be discovered at second glance.

It is right in our midst, and yet we hardly know anything about it: Munich’s public art. We asked some passers-by what they thought.

The Brandhorst collection has the greatest works by Andy Warhol from anywhere outside the USA. The “Forever Young” exhibition brings home just how important the artist remains – even today.

A visit to the opera must be planned well in advance? Admission is only available in the finest evening wear? And you can't do anything without studying music? Far from it!

Munich has long been the cradle of the European graffiti scene. Our author once painted graffiti himself, and today looks back on a quite exceptional piece of work.

Our author takes part in a special cycling tour that leads her to discover important works of graffiti and street art in public spaces.

What defines a visit to a gallery? A conversation about modern art and its meaning.

How does it feel to visit an opera for the first time? And what makes the Munich Nationaltheater so special?

The story of Ludwig II is a legendary tale: an account of a glamorous time that played out not only in Neuschwanstein, but also directly within the Munich court – the Residenz palace in the city centre.

Our author tries to elicit enough tones from the seemingly easiest instrument so that she can accompany a simple march.

Lenbachhaus, Museum Brandhorst, Pinakothek: We asked three museum professionals to introduce us to some of their favourites.

Munich is looking forward to 19 international galleries showing joint projects with local curators, collectors and artists. From 5 to 15 September 2024.

Famous faces from Munich describe their favourite pieces in Munich’s museums and explain just what makes these pieces so special to them.

Angelika Nollert is the Director of the Neue Sammlung, the international design museum housed within the Pinakothek der Moderne. She picked her five favourite pieces for us.

Good ballet appears lightweight, as if almost floating. A trial training session with the Munich ballet star, Dustin Klein.

We talked to the producers of the tourism spot The Unbelivabowls about the creative side of Munich and their favourite places in the city.

Adolf Hitler’s journey to power began in Munich. A tour into the past.

At the turn of the 16th century, no painter was considered as modern as Caravaggio. His use of light and shadow was both radical and new. An interview with curator Dr. Bernd Ebert.

For centuries, lighting has played a dominant role in painting. But then came the great age of abstraction. A conversation about the importance of light in art.

Club today, opera tomorrow: the musician Beni Brachtel loves new sounds and old equipment. A visit to his studio.

The Lenbachhaus is for the first time now exhibiting works by Marianne von Werefkin and Alexej von Jawlensky. Curator Annegret Hoberg explains the extraordinary lives the pair led.

Cy Twombly’s Lepanto cycle in the Museum Brandhorst is a monumental study about life, history and light. A visit to Achim Hochdörfer, director of the museum.

Pretzel, beer glass, typeface: Munich designers critique some everyday objects that are a regular sight around the city.

What is the right way to play in a beer garden? An interview with bandmaster Mathias Achatz.

Experience the adventure of archaeology, a special kind of time travel. Whether it's the permanent exhibition or a special exhibition.

During the renovation of the Gasteig cultural centre, the aim was to avoid vacancies. This gave rise to the Fat Cat, an interim use project, dedicated to the city's cultural diversity.

The listed 19th century riding hall has become a "happening place" for concerts, festivals, exhibitions, theatre and readings. Historical ambience meets state-of-the-art technology here.

For over 40 years, the Münchner Theater für Kinder has been staging charming pieces for old and young alike. Curtain up!

The former Pfanni potato factory is now home to Werk 7, a musical theatre run by Stage Entertainment.

More than 70 flying objects can be marvelled at in the Flugwerft Schleißheim - from modern fighter jets to historic wooden planes, there is something for young and old.

An amazing experience for young and old alike: The transport centre displays unique means of transport – such as the first car with an internal combustion engine.

Never before had there been so much art and progress witnessed in the city: The reign of Prince Regent Luitpold is considered to be Munich's “Golden Age”.

The Marstallmuseum in Schloss Nymphenburg (palace) is home to a splendid collection of over forty antique coaches, sleighs and gala carriages.

The German Hunting and Fishing Museum has been situated in Munich’s pedestrian zone since 1966. Today it is one of the most important museums devoted to hunting in the world.

From bead work by the Sioux to artistically painted paddles from the Solomon Islands: This museum provides cultural riches from all over the world.

A fine collection of the antique era: The grand temple on Königsplatz is one of the world’s most important museums for Greek and Roman sculptures.

One of the world’s most important collections of Greek, Roman and Etruscan minor art: the Staatliche Antikensammlungen on Königsplatz square.

Modern equipment, a flexible stage and outstanding acoustics: the Residenztheater has been delighting Munich residents since 1951.

The place that launched Bertolt Brecht's career in theatre. The Kammerspiele is one of the most important traditional theatre in the German-speaking world.

Enjoy free open-air opera at the "opera for all" event at Max-Joseph-Platz in Munich.

Bizarre humor at its best: the Valentin-Karlstadt Museum is dedicated to the life and work of Munich comedian and folk singer Karl Valentin, and his wonderful partner, Liesl Karlstadt.

A new cultural venue opened in Munich-Aubing: The Bergson invites you to concerts, art, parties and gastronomy on around 20,000 square meters.