Southwest Germany's Quirky Museums

6 Extraordinary, Unusual Museums That Are Worth a Visit

Southwest Germany, the German Federal State of Baden-Württemberg, is known for its rich cultural heritage. In addition to grand palaces, mighty castles and industrial monuments, there are glamourous theatres, opera houses and world-class exhibition halls. But there are also quirky museums that are amusing, fascinating and even bizarre, especially in the towns and villages between the Tauber Valley and Freiburg.

Bad Rappenau's BikiniARTmuseum

Want to see the world's most valuable bikini? Or swimsuits worn by Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot, Esther Williams and Scarlett Johansson? Head to Bad Rappenau, an hour north of Stuttgart. The BikiniARTmuseum, which opened in 2020, has a unique collection of swimwear. There are examples from all over the world - and they date back three centuries. The star attraction is the Golden Réard, the only surviving bikini actually designed by its inventor, Frenchman Louis Réard. Famous names range from Triumph, Naturana and Jantzen to couture labels like Chanel, Pucci and Dior. Styles include a full-body costume from 1870 and a revealing Brazilian swimsuit condemned by the bishop of Rio de Janeiro. There is also modern art featuring swimwear, an exhibit on female power and body positivity, and the world's largest collection of bathing caps!www.bikiniartmuseum.com/en

A golden bikini is displayed on a mannequin in a museum. In the background are photos and posters of other bikinis.

The BikiniARTmuseum in Bad Rappenau showcases swimwear through the ages.

Pforzheim's GDR Museum

Far from the old border with East Germany, the GDR Museum in Pforzheim is the only museum in the western federal states that deals with the history of the GDR during the Communist era. Its goal is to raise awareness of democracy, human rights, and the events from 1945 to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990. With numerous exhibits from all areas of society, the message is aimed particularly at the younger generation, who have only known life after reunification. Especially helpful are the "living history books," the museum guides who lived in the GDR and can describe what life was like under the dictatorship. Pforzheim is located one hour northwest of Stuttgart.www.pforzheim-ddr-museum.de

Exterior view of a building with yellow walls. On the right is a covered shelter with a sculpture and a statue.

Pforzheim's GDR Museum deals with GDR's history during the Communist era.

Stuttgart's Pig Museum

Germans love pork, so it should come as no surprise that there is a museum dedicated to the pig. In fact, it is the largest in the world! Among the 50,000 exhibits gathered from every corner of the globe are lucky pigs, piggy banks and soft, cuddly pigs. Some are made of wood, fabric or cork, while others are ceramic, pottery or cast iron. There are pig mugs, mailboxes, ties and even a pig tram. Located in a former slaughterhouse in the east of Stuttgart, the Pig Museum has 27 rooms covering topics ranging from zoology, culture, mythology and symbolism to how pigs have been represented in art or as curiosities. As for the spacious beer garden and restaurant, it serves - what else but - pork! Grilled suckling pig, crispy pork knuckles and other local Swabian pork dishes.www.schweinemuseum.de/news-en

A golden pig is standing in the exhibition room of a museum. There are many pictures on the red walls. In the far left corner of the room is a black and white pig.

Stuttgart's Pig Museum features 50,000 exhibits from all over the world.

Ulm's Museum for Bread an Art

Paintings of loaves and grain harvests, sculptures with bread, special exhibitions on the importance of bread through the ages: all under one roof at the Museum Bread and Art. Founded in 1955 in Ulm, 60 minutes southeast of Stuttgart, and located in a 400-year-old house, the world's first bread museum has two themes: art and bread. The art collection ranges from the 15th to the 21st century and includes works by renowned painters such as Rembrandt, Chagall and Picasso, as well as Pieter Breughel and Salvador Dalí. There are also monthly events that focus on bread in a cultural or historical context, including the baking of specialty breads for traditional seasonal treats.www.museumbrotundkunst.de/en

Krønåsar Museum-Hotel in the Europa-Park

Although not a museum in the traditional sense, the Krønasår Museum-Hotel at the Europa Park has been tastefully designed to look like a natural history museum. Open since 2019, it has glass cases filled with historical and nautical finds. And hanging in the lobby to greet guests is the giant skeleton of Svalgur, the sea serpent from Rulantica, the exciting themed waterpark next door. Even the bedrooms are themed with maps and travel memorabilia to make guests feel like they are walking in the footsteps of famous explorers and adventurers.www.europapark.de/en/accommodation/hotel-4-star-superior-kronasar

Lobby of a hotel designed like a natural history museum

Europa-Park's Krønasår Museum-Hotel looks like a natural history museum.

Corkscrew Museum in the Kaiserstuhl Region

With its gloriously sunny climate, Southwest Germany is famous for its wines. And the sunniest vineyards of all are in the Kaiserstuhl Region, 2,5 hours southwest of Stuttgart. Here, in the charming wine village of Burkheim, an old barn houses the Corkscrew Museum. Described by a German newspaper as "perhaps the smallest and most unusual museum in Germany," it houses the private collection of Bernhard Maurer. What began as a flea market purchase in 1995 has grown to include more than 1,000 examples of tools used to remove corks from bottles. The challenge dates back 350 years, to the time when corks were first used to seal wine in bottles. On a tour, Bernhard himself regales visitors with tales of uncorking bottles. Admission to his museum is free.www.korkenzieher.de