The Buchheim Museum of Imagination in Bernried will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2026 – a milestone that not only commemorates the history of the museum, but also highlights the special connection between art, architecture, and nature. Founded by Lothar-Günther and Diethild Buchheim and opened on May 23, 2001, the museum has established itself as a cultural beacon in the Five Lakes Region. The founders' vision of bringing together various collections under one roof has become a living work of art that appeals to visitors on several levels.
The museum's outstanding Expressionist collection takes center stage. Works by Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Erich Heckel, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Otto Mueller, Emil Nolde, and Max Pechstein form the core of the collection. But the Buchheim Museum is much more than an Expressionist museum: in addition to the main collection, there are "secondary collections" featuring arts and crafts from around the world, African and non-European cult objects, and Bavarian folk art. These are complemented by works by the founder himself. Regular temporary exhibitions featuring contemporary artists ensure dynamism and a dialogue between past and present.
The architecture of the museum is just as impressive as its collections. Günter Behnisch created a building for the Buchheim collection that reflects the diversity of the artworks. The elongated structure, partially built into the hillside, ends in a footbridge that hovers twelve meters above Lake Starnberg. Both inside and outside, this creates a tension between down-to-earthness and floating, between intimacy and vastness, which visitors experience directly.
The third level of the experience is nature: the museum is located in Höhenrieder Park, directly on the lake shore. Groups of old trees, enchanted ponds, sculptures, and pagodas line the path from the parking lot to the museum. Those who follow the path are immersed in a symbiosis of art and landscape—and on a clear day, a breathtaking view of the Alps opens up. Each visit thus becomes a sensory experience combining visual, haptic, and atmospheric perception.
Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Norwegian Landscape (Skrygedal), 1911, Buchheim Museum © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2026
To mark the anniversary , the Buchheim Museum will present the exhibition " Aufruhr der Farben. Karl Schmidt-Rottluff und das Erbe der 'Brücke'" (Turmoil of Colors: Karl Schmidt-Rottluff and the Legacy of the" Brücke") in 2026 . It commemorates the 50th anniversary of Schmidt-Rottluff's death on August 10, 1976, and shows his influence on contemporaries and subsequent generations. Works by the "Brücke" artists are complemented by important Expressionists such as Béla Czóbel, Conrad Felixmüller, Max Kaus, Ewald Mataré, and Karoline Wittmann. What they all have in common is the intensive use of color as an expression of inner feelings, a departure from traditional attributions of meaning, and the celebration of emotionality beyond mimesis. Thanks to generous donations and the comprehensive collection of the Buchheim couple, the exhibition traces the development of Expressionism from its beginnings to well into the second half of the 20th century.
May 23 to September 30, 2026
The anniversary year 2026 is also marked by new prospects: an extension, scheduled to open in the fall, will create new spaces for collections, research, and education. Visitors will then not only be able to immerse themselves in history, but also experience the future of art education in the museum. The Buchheim Museum of Imagination shows that art, architecture, and nature are not isolated areas, but can engage in a lively dialogue. It invites visitors to consciously experience color, form, and landscape and to let the inspiring power of the Expressionists and contemporary artists work its magic on them—a unique place where imagination, sensuality, and history merge.
www.buchheimmuseum.de
