Walk this way

The form and functionality of German design encompass everything from cars to chairs and crockery, and examples are on view at Germany's unique design museums.

Die Neue Sammlung

When Die Neue Sammlung (The New Collection) was founded in 1907, it was the world's first design museum. Today, with about 75,000 exhibits, it is one of the world's most important museums of applied art and the largest of industrial design, with representations of motor vehicle design, computer culture, artistic jewellery, and household decor.

An integral part of The Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, the museum also maintains separate sites at Nuremberg for its post-1945 collections and at Weiden for ceramics.

Vitra Design Museum

Located on the outskirts of Weil, the Vitra Design Museum explores the history of industrial design, with specific reference to furniture. While the estate of Charles and Ray Eames forms its core, the collection includes early industrial bentwood and tubular steel furniture of the 1920s and 1930s, Scandinavian designs from 1930-1960, and representative pieces from every period and style after the early 19th century, making it one of the world's largest collections of modern furniture design.

The red dot Design Museum

Home to the world's largest collection of contemporary design, this museum showcases more than 1,500 products —all winners of the global red dot design award, presented annually by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen. While the list of artists and manufacturers reads like a who's who of design, the products include everyday items such as kitchen utensils, furniture, cars, office furnishings, fashion accessories and tools.

Designed by Lord Norman Foster, the museum is housed in the erstwhile boiler house of the Zollverein Coal Mine — a Unesco World Heritage site — lending it suitable gravitas and grandeur. It is often referred to as the cathedral of industrial heritage.

Designs on wheels

The BMW Museum in Munich, the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, the Audi museums in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm, and the Volkswagen Auto Museum in Wolfsburg offer interesting insights into the design of cars since the 19th century.