:: Germany > ARTS + CULTURE > Art Collections Famous Art Collections Many of the bigger German towns and all the cities have art exhibitions and art collections - too many to list them all. Here we only present some of the most important and outstanding ones: Munich: Pinakothek The Alte Pinakothek in Munich is one of the oldest and most important collection of paintings in the world. More than 5000 masterpieces by European artists bring to life the development of art from the Middle Ages to the end of the Rococo period (14th to end of 18th century). The Neue Pinakothek owns more than 3000 paintings of masters from the Classical epoche to the Jugendstil (Art Nouveau).

Arnold Böcklin (1827-1901), "Im Spiel der Wellen" (detail), Neue Pinakothek, Munich

The Pinakothek der Moderne in the immediate vicinity is Germany's most important museum of modern art, design and architecture from the beginning of the 20th century on. Address: Barer Strasse 27, 80333 München. Tel: 089/23805216; Email: info@pinakothek.de. Berlin: Alte Nationalgalerie This well restored edifice in the style of a Greek temple on Berlin's Museum Isle houses a magnificent collection of the European art of the 19th century. Part of it are many paintings of Caspar David Friedrich who can be considered the father of German Romantics. Berlin: Neue Nationalgalerie This "bright temple from glass" by Mies van der Rohe exhibits European paintings and sculpture of the 20th century - from Modern Classics to the Art of the Sixties. Amongst them are works from artists like Kirchner, Ernst, Picasso, Klee, Feininger, Dix and Kokoschka. The Neue Nationalgalerie hosts important and popular exhibitions. Address: Potsdamer Straße 50; 10785 Berlin-Tiergarten. Tel: 030/2662651. Email: nng@smb.spk-berlin.de. Berlin: "Die Brücke" Museum The artists' group "Die Brücke" (The Bridge) was founded in 1905 in Dresden by four students of architecture: Ludwig Kirchner, Fritz Bleyl, Erich Heckel and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff. Later they were joined by Emil Nolde and Max Pechstein. They wanted to break away from the conventional styles of the art academies and searched for a new way of artistic expression. The school they developed is called Expressionism. This little but worthwhile museum is dedicated to their works. Address: Bussardsteig 9, 14195 Berlin-Dahlem. Tel: 030/8312029. Email: bruecke-museum@t-online.de. Cologne: Wallraf-Richartz Museum The Wallraf-Richartz-Museum is one of the great traditional art galleries in Germany. Medieval and early modern paintings form the historic core of the museum's collection. The Baroque section with major works by Rubens, Rembrandt and others and the 19th century section with paintings from the Romantic period, Realism, Impressionism and Symbolism and a small collection of sculpture are other important focal points of the collection. The museum is also proud of its many pieces of abstract modern art - especially paintings by Pablo Picasso. Recently, the collection was enhanced by the Corboud Collection comprising 170 Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist paintings. The museum also offers a comprehensive collection of graphic art comprising roughly 75,000 prints. Address: Martinstraße 39, 50667 Köln. Telefon 0221-221/21119.

Caspar David Friedrich (1775-1840), "Abtei im Eichwald"

Emil Nolde (1867-1956), "Self Portrait"

Alexej von Jawlenski (1864 - 1941), "Woman's Head"

Carl Spitzweg (1808-1885), "The Poor Poet"