Located at the heart of one of Germany’s most picturesque cities, the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart is a work of art in itself.

The museum is distinguished by its ultramodern square glass façade (the building is affectionately nicknamed “The Cube”), with a limestone interior that's illuminated so at night it looks like it's floating in space. Other features include a restaurant, bar, world-class bookstore and spaces available for special events. Not to mention they house some 15,000 pieces of art. Night owls will also love the 9:00 pm closing time on Fridays.

The museum as we know it today was more than 80 years in the making.  The initial collection was donated in 1924 by a nobleman fortuitously named Count Casanova.  The current museum finally opened in 2005, after two decades of planning and public debate.  Well worth the wait considering its diverse assortment of works that range from the late 18th century to the contemporary era. Highlights include works by the German impressionists, conceptual art like that of Joseph Kosuth, and the world’s premiere collection of Modernist artist Otto Dix. Otto's arguably the most important German artist of his time, yet until very recently he was largely known for innocuous landscapes and Christian genre art.  Most of his graphic, controversial pre-war works were either incinerated by the Nazis or hoarded by art pirates in a secret treasure trove that wasn’t raided by authorities until 2012.  After 70 years in the dark, these priceless masterpieces are once again in the hands of the people.

When you’re finished with the Kunstmuseum, enjoy the rest of Stuttgart’s eclectic museum scene, including the Porsche Museum, Mercedes Benz Museum, and a viniculture museum with over 300 wines available for tasting...who wants to be DD? Nose goes!