After a treacherous car return in the bowels of a parking garage under Karlsplatz, we were free to explore Munich. It's a dense but highly pleasant city of 1.5 million that looks and feels quintessentially German. After about 40% of the city was destroyed during WWII, buildings were reconstructed as they had previously appeared for the most part, bringing it back to that Bavarian Oktoberfest style. But the Pinakothek, the modern art museum, is an exception (it also helps that it was completed in 2002!). A large rectangle from the outside, the interior lobby rises up several floors with an enormous oval disk hovering at angle above your head. Precise German engineering keeps it from falling on your head. Spectacular.
We concentrated on the design museum, which is celebrating its 20th year by showcasing design advances year by year from 2002 to 2022. This included the 3-D printed chair you see above, Nike shoes that don't require tying your shoelaces, a robot that picks up trash in the ocean, and other innovations.
Furniture from half a century ago reminded me how enduring "new" styles can be. The Eames rocking chair above first appeared in 1948.
I was particularly tickled by the outdoor furniture exhibit, which featured camping furniture used in Eastern Germany, six feet tall plastic cacti, as well as the hip loungette above.
Then we moved on to the X collection. Steven described this as "sh** we have in our garage, but better organized." (Though we don't have 50 toasters either). So, should you tire of 15th-19th century architecture while traveling in Munich, I suggest a day at the Pinakothek.
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