Museum der Dinge

Just through the door of an old building in the Oranienstrasse, is an incredible collection of artifacts and products from across the 20th century, comprising an incredible wunderkammer of modern object design. 

The Museum der Dinge has been collecting everyday objects since the 1970s and now it holds over 35,000 unique items in it’s vintage museum. The space is arranged around an “open storage” model that is continually updated and reconsidered. The objects on display are endlessly eclectic, but all share a sharp and austere quality of design. There are scientific instruments, Nazi propaganda pins, and children’s toys. Some of the objects are organized by color, some by theme.

Most museums strive to preserve the more distant past, but the Museum der Dinge is focused almost exclusively on the 20th and 21st century, and the mass-produced, product-based culture that so often defines it. 

Starring at the shelves may compel visitors to ask themselves: why do people like objects? The Museum der Dinge is a perfect study site for design students, an inspiration for creative people and a delight to the eyes of object lovers!