Bavarian State Painting Collections

The Bavarian State Painting Collections (Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen) are the public institutions in Munich that manage the state’s principal painting collections and associated museums, including the Alte Pinakothek, Neue Pinakothek and the Pinakothek der Moderne. Their holdings span European art from medieval and Renaissance masters through 19th-century schools to modern and contemporary art.

The Pinakotheken complex forms part of Munich’s Kunstareal and is organized so each major museum focuses on a particular period or genre, allowing concentrated displays and rotating exhibitions. The institution’s history stems from the Wittelsbach collection traditions and continued state support for public art collections.

The major galleries sit in central Munich, within walking distance of each other in the museum quarter north of the city center.

• Organization scope: The Bavarian State Painting Collections administer several major Munich museums and galleries located in the Kunstareal, offering works from the medieval period to contemporary art across separate institutions.

What to See #

• Alte Pinakothek: Alte Pinakothek - houses an important collection of European Old Masters dating mainly from the 14th to the 18th centuries, and the building itself dates to the 19th century.
• Neue Pinakothek: Neue Pinakothek - historically focused on 19th-century art and housed 19th-century European paintings; its exhibition status has undergone changes and renovation programs in recent years.
• Pinakothek der Moderne: Pinakothek der Moderne - opened in 2002 and contains 20th- and 21st-century art, architecture and design collections in a modern exhibition complex.