A lovely Instagram photograph I chanced upon yesterday of Louisiana – my favourite art gallery on the entire planet – prompted me to think about this place, and how it could possibly be a very close second…
A word of warning. On arrival, the sign posts for the Buchheim’s car park are quite confusing. If it feels like you are driving through the gates of the museum itself, believe me when I tell you that you are, as you will soon find yourself driving through the main part of the sculpture garden (whilst in complete hysterics, and not much help at all to your good friend who has agreed to be designated driver for the day!)… Do act all nonchalant once you have reversed all the way back through the sculptures and through the gates to find the correct car park. Then, take time to admire the completely off the wall pieces that are exhibited in the grounds of this mind-blowing museum, whilst acting like nothing’s happened…
I hasten to add, before I start on the art stuff – that you really should visit even if art’s totally not your cup of tea. The architecture of the building itself is stunningly beautiful, and the grounds that lead down to the banks of the Starnberger See are vast and free to explore. Plus you can also venture out on the museum boat – The Phantasie – if you prefer that kind of thing to paintings and the like…
This museum was built especially for the vast private collection of Lothar-Günther Buchheim – a German author and painter (those of us of a certain age might remember one of his most famous works – Das Boot – about the crew of a World War II German U boat film that was made into a TV series back in the eighties. Not that I watched it first time around, but was instead subjected to it as my Father mostly controlled the TV remote back in the early nineties. I have to say that with nothing else to watch, it was definitely watchable, and made a nice change from Star Trek at the time!!). His collection concentrates mostly on German Expressionist paintings that he was able to collect quite cheaply after the war, as the subject matter was considered degenerate previously. There is also masses of European crafts, Graphic art, and Ethnological art (lots of cultural and folklore exhibits from around the world, check out the tuk tuk in the basement on the ground floor of the gallery, and you can’t really miss the fairground animals dotted about the place) to inspect.
I have to say that I was completely petrified about taking a then much smaller Baby into the museum itself. I am well versed in taking children to galleries, especially when they encourage young minds to delve into the world of art with exhibits and workshops (this place is no different by the way, I had a quick peak around the corner into the kids workshop and it looks really inspiring); but the thought of taking an often shrieking, quickly crawling baby into such a place was quite daunting. I needn’t have worried, he behaved impeccably, enjoying the vast gallery space to crawl and explore, and more often than not, to sit and look quizzically at some of the works on display. Thankfully, the staff were smiling and friendly towards us. Do look out for the fantastic benches in the main gallery. Upon sitting on one to take in a massive painting, we found ourselves unexpectedly trundling off across the gallery. The benches are motorised and are actually pieces of art in their own right!
After a lengthy Expressionist painting appreciation session (and a bit of stair climbing experimentation for one member of our group) it was then on to explore pieces of work from around the globe that include strange and wonderful furniture, ethnic ritual tools, and models of restaurants – complete with Beryl Cook-esque diners.
Towards the end of his life, Buchheim had to wear an eye patch after a botched operation, and, famous for his bad temper, he became known as “The Pirate”, and was quite the character by all accounts. It’s worth bearing in mind that a lot of the paintings and sculptures were done by Buchheim himself, and given the wide range of subjects, he must have had quite an imagination. Which incidentally, is the other name for the place – the Museum of Imagination.
After a decent lunch, (refreshingly not overpriced for such a place) and a mooch around the shop (decent but not quite as good as Louisiana’s), we ventured out into the grounds again for a walk by the lake. I am glad I made it here before we left Bavaria, and I will always remember it as Baby’s First Art Gallery….
And look what we found as we left… I knew it reminded me of somewhere else…
Tips:
Look out for the correct car park!! Open all year round, apart from Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day from 10am daily. Museum entrance – €8.50 per adult, €3.50 per child. Tickets available separately for the Museum’s boat. Do set aside the whole day to explore the museum, grounds and have lunch in the restaurant too, plus you can always go out on the boat if it’s sailing. Photographs are allowed without a flash, and bags must be left in the lockers on the ground floor. It must be beautiful all year around, but if I were to visit again, I would make it an autumn day for all of the tree colours which must be just spectacular!
Wow, amasing museum, I liked all the exhibits, they are really fun and made me smile :D
Thank you Olga! :)
How fab are some of the exhibits! The car and helicopter especially, I am sure my two would find bits to admire here x
Definitely something for everyone! Thanks Karen! (:
Looks like a great art gallery to visit with some interesting pieces. It would be great to visit on a nice day and be able to see the grounds too. Its great that there is such a mixture of things to see too :-)
I really think there’s something for everyone whatever time of year, but a nice day would be super nice! Thanks Clare! :)
This looks like such a great place to bring children to, and adults too! It looks so interesting :)
Thanks Christine! (:
This looks amazing Emma, definitely my sort of museum! Wonderful, wacky art – the wall of animal pictures caught my eye and love the idea of moving benches! :) x
It’s such a brilliant place. I know you would love the vast kids studio too! Thanks T xx
I love discovering eccentric museums like this. They are so much fun. Well done for introducing Baby to his first museum. Luckily there seems alot of free floor space to crawl around whilst parents are otherwise occupied :)
Lots of empty space, and not too many crowds on this particular day! Thanks Dave! :)
Wow, wow! I just love this kind of art!
Thanks Elena! (:
Wow wow wow it looks incredible, that building is breathtaking and the art looks so unique I would just love this and I am sure our boys would be so engaged as it is all a bit different. Thanks so much for linking up #mondayescapes x
Thanks for hosting Sarah! :) x
I have to be honest, I’m not huge on museums, however, this one looks like one I would be interested in! I loved the octopus car outside and seems like there are a lot of interesting sculptures there!
Sooo many interesting sculptures, and if you don’t really like museums, a great restaurant and the best views. Thanks Tarah! :)
This museum really looks different from any other museum that I have seen. The artwork is of course fascinating. But I like the grounds too, which seems to have some really interesting displays.
Thanks Sandy! The grounds really make it a special place! :)
Wonderful place, wonderful post, and even more wonderful is the storytelling. Just the kind of travel article I like to read. Subscribing to your blog.
Thanks so much Punita! (:
Now that’s an art exhibit I can appreciate!!
Thank you Greg! :)
What a beautiful looking museum- I love all the outdoor sculptures, looks like a great place to explore. #culturedkids
Thank you Jenny! :)
That looks like my kind of gallery. I love those over-sized statues. Gorgeous. Also, I think it’s perfect you are starting baby off with museums. I think they get used to them and then always will enjoy going instead of complaining later on.
Definitely. It’s been a successful move with my older children! They love museums and galleries now! Thank you! :)
I love the flying swan and horses in the air and the colourful bus. Seems like a nice art gallery
Thanks Ellis! :)
This is possibly one of the coolest museums I’ve ever seen. Such fun. Thanks for linking up to #MondayEscapes
Thanks very much! :)
I haven’t seen anything quite like this before! I love it. Such a riotous explosion of expressionism – and not at all what I’d have expected from the creator of Das Boot. Thanks for joining in with #CulturedKids!
Thanks so much Nell! :)
oh what a brilliant space, we take our two to galleries, and like you, from a very young age…. they are not as engaged as we’d like them to by, but we persevere!! x
Definitely worth the effort in the end isn’t it (usually!!)? Thanks Ali! x
Wow, this place looks so interesting and just look at that blue sky, we need that weather now! I’ve never been to a sculpture garden before but I’d definitely like to. Mich x
Thank you Mich x
I really like some of those pieces, in a very bizarre, eclectic way. I can well imagine with all that space and colour he would have loved it.
He really did, nearly as much as me! Thanks Helen! :) x
He certainly did have a great imagination. The art gallery must have been a visual treat for your little one!
He loved it as much as me I think. Thanks Mary Louise! :)
Now that looks like my kind of art gallery. I normally find them fussy and boring but that looks fun
There’s definitely nothing fussy and boring about this place! :D Thanks Kara! :)
It looks fabulous, a really fun museum.
It’s so much fun. Thanks R! :)
It would be just my luck I’d enter the wrong way too.
It looks like a fantastic place to visit and the prices are pretty good too
Sooooo embarrassing, but we can laugh about it now! Thanks Clare! :)
This looks so interesting and it’s great they encourage babies and young children to explore
Thanks Angela, I always love places that have something to encourage little people to enjoy art! :)
Wow that looks so inviting – I have never seen such an attractive museum before. Loved it, no wonder the baby did as well!! x
Thanks Mum. Shame we both didn’t make it there together. You did get to find the secret slide at Louisiana with us though! :) x