
MM Editor•Apr 19, 2026
Staatsgalerie Stuttgart — James Stirling's Postmodern Turning Point
At a Glance
Neue Staatsgalerie in Stuttgart opened in 1984 as an extension of the 1843 state gallery. British architect James Stirling's design is a canonical Postmodern building — he received the 1981 Pritzker Prize for it.
The Postmodern Primer
A circular open-air sculpture rotunda at the heart lets pedestrians cross the site. Travertine-and-sandstone stripes, oversized green steel window frames, and pink-and-blue handrails collage references to Corbusier, Schinkel and Kahn.
Must-See
- One of Germany's largest Picasso print holdings.
- Schlemmer's Bauhaustreppe (1932).
- Surrealism room with Miró, Duchamp and Dalí.
- Abstract Expressionism — Pollock, Newman, Kline.
- Otto Dix's War triptych.
Visiting Tips
15 min from Stuttgart Hbf; U-Bahn Staatsgalerie. €7. 2–2.5 hours. Closed Mondays. Pair with Kunstmuseum Stuttgart and the 1927 Weissenhof Estate.