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.