Exhibitions, Art, Photography & Museums in Munich

Current photography, & art exhibitions in the museum and galleries and vernissages in Munich

Munich is a city that can be underestimated if you only think of white sausage and beer gardens. But once you take in the density of museums in the Kunstareal between Maxvorstadt and Schwabing, you quickly understand that one of the most exciting exhibition landscapes in Germany awaits you here. And the best thing is: there is always something new to discover, as the city's exhibition calendar rotates throughout the year and offers temporary exhibitions, vernissages, special exhibitions and permanent collections that cannot be fully explored in a single season anyway. A good place to start is the Kunstareal Munich, an entire district dedicated to art, where museums stand shoulder to shoulder like cafés elsewhere. The Pinakothek der Moderne, for example, combines four museums under one roof, including contemporary art, design, architecture and drawing, and somehow manages to never seem overwhelming, but always inviting. The Alte Pinakothek next door is home to one of the most important collections of European painting from the Middle Ages to the 18th century, and even those who are otherwise not very fond of old master paintings will find works here that catch them by surprise. The Lenbachhaus is simply a must-visit for anyone who loves Expressionism and the Blue Rider, as it houses the world's largest collection of this movement, with works by Wassily Kandinsky, Gabriele Münter and Franz Marc, in a villa that would be worth a visit in itself. Next door in the Kunstbau under Königsplatz, exhibitions of contemporary art change regularly and are always a talking point. The Museum Brandhorst in the immediate vicinity is one of the most exciting exhibition venues in the city: the collection focuses on art from the second half of the 20th century onwards and shows works by Cy Twombly, Andy Warhol and many others who are not only known from art books, but also from pop culture and Instagram . If you'd rather go in a completely different direction, the NS Documentation Center on Königsplatz has an important and cleverly curated permanent exhibition on the history of National Socialism and Munich's role in it, a place that makes you think and should make you think. And then, of course, there are the countless smaller galleries in Schwabing, Haidhausen and Maxvorstadt, where up-and-coming artists regularly show new works and openings are held where, with a bit of luck, you can even talk directly to the people who created the works. Munich not only shows what has been, but also what is currently happening, and that is exactly what makes the exhibition scene so lively. To make sure you don't miss any of it, it's worth taking a regular look at our calendar of events on Rausgegangen, because you'll find the best exhibition openings in the city right here.