Staatsgalerie Stuttgart Audio guide

The State Gallery in Stuttgart

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart is one of the most important museums of fine art in Germany. At its core stands the neoclassical Alte Staatsgalerie, opened in 1843, which originally also served as the seat of the Royal Art School. After severe damage during the Second World War, it was restored between 1945 and 1947 and reopened in 1958.

The historic building now features works of old German, Italian, and Dutch painting, as well as Baroque art and 19th-century works. The collection shows the development of European painting from the late Middle Ages to Romanticism and Impressionism.

The New Building and Modern Art

A decisive transformation came with the opening of the Neue Staatsgalerie in 1984. James Stirling's controversial design expanded the museum with a striking postmodern building that became an architectural subject in its own right. The new gallery houses 20th-century art, from Pablo Picasso through Oskar Schlemmer to Joseph Beuys.

Visitors here follow not only the history of painting, but also the evolution of museum architecture and the way art is displayed. Alongside famous names, the connections between classical tradition and modern experiment are also important, making Staatsgalerie Stuttgart one of the region's key cultural institutions.