State Gallery of Stuttgart Re-Opens
The State Gallery of Stuttgart, built in the years 1838 to 1843 under King Wilhelm I of Wuerttemberg, has been one of the most visited German museums, especially since the opening of the world famous expansion from the British star architect James Stirling in the year 1984. Re-opening last week after a renovation, the classicist building from the 19th century, the Old State Gallery, is home to the works from the 14th to the 19th century as well as the graphic collection with its extensive inventory of drawings, water paintings, collages, printed graphics, illustrated books, posters and photographs. Connected to the old museum on the gallery level, the expansion by James Stirling, The New State Gallery, is dedicated to the art of the 20th century with a concentration on important groups of works of the differing stylistic movements ("Fauves", "Brücke", "blauer Reiter", "Cubism") as well as the excellent works complexes of individual artists, including Picasso and Beckmann.

The Art Museum of Stuttgart Shines as a Light Cube
The Art Museum Stuttgart is situated right in the heart of the city center. The spectacular glass cubicle - built by the Berlin architecture office Hascher and Jehle - is inspiring with its sleek elegance and hangs over the small castle square, itself a unique attraction. With a museum and book shop, bar and restaurant as well as rooms for events, the glass cube is a destination for visitors. The top-class city art collection founded in 1924 focuses on four Swabian Impressionists, Adolf Hölzel and his followers, Otto Dix as well as the contemporary art of the region. The world's most important Otto Dix collection has formed the core of the city art collection until today.

Baden-Baden - A Cultural Metropolis in the Black Forest
The elegant world spa resort Baden-Baden is located at the foothills of the Black Forest. It will captivate you by its special atmosphere and elegant lifestyle.You will find cultural pleasure of the highest level at the "Festspielhaus" - Europe's second largest opera and concert hall. With its world acclaimed acoustics, the "Festspielhaus" offers all-year-around top class events such as the Easter Festival (12-21.04.2014) with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle or the "Baden-Baden Gala" (21.-27.07.2014). The Museum Frieder Burda built by Richard Meier is an exceptional jewel in the world-famous parks and gardens "Lichtentaler Allee". Not only unique is its fascinating architecture but the private collection. It portrays many selected masterpieces of Classical Modernism and will be shown in alternation with unique exhibitions. Germany's oldest and "most beautiful casino in the world" rounds off a perfect day in this exceptional destination.

Karlsruhe's State Art Museum Honors Fragonard, A Gem of an Exhibition in the Black Forest
The work of Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806) is the embodiment of elegance and expressiveness. The French artist was one of the outstanding masters of the 18th century. The Karlsruhe exhibition, Fragonard - Poetry and Passion, opens on November 30 and runs through February 23 and features a selection of Fragonard's drawings, enriched by several oil studies and paintings. With 80 works in all, the display gives an insight into the dazzling versatility of an oeuvre that includes scenes of cheerful social gatherings, landscapes, narrative scenes, and intimate depictions of great sensuality. The exhibition captures and reflects the artist's delight in experimentation, his vitality of imagination, and boldness in formal composition. In the same breath, Fragonard demonstrates both how firmly rooted he was in the artistic tradition of the 17th century and his skill in being able to vary and reinterpret that tradition. Karlsruhe is only 30 minutes from Stuttgart by train.

Vitra Design Museum Offers World Class Architecture and Design in the Black Forest
The Vitra Design Museum, at the most southern tip of SouthWest Germany across the border from Switzerland, numbers among the world's leading museums of design. It presents design from the past and present, and examines design's relationship to architecture, art and everyday culture. In the main museum building by Frank Gehry, the museum annually mounts two major temporary exhibitions. Smaller parallel shows are presented in the nearby Vitra Design Museum Gallery. Often developed with renowned designers, many of the museum's exhibitions cover highly relevant contemporary themes while others address historical aspects.The work of the Vitra Design Museum is based on its collection, which encompasses not only key objects of design history, but also the estates of several important figures (including Charles & Ray Eames, George Nelson, Verner Panton and Alexander Girard). The museum library and document archive are available to researchers upon request. The museum conceives its exhibitions for touring, and they are shown at venues around the world. On the Vitra Campus, they are complemented by a diverse program of events, guided tours and workshops.

For interactive maps and more information on cultural events and destinations in Southwest Germany and to start planning your trip, please go to SouthWest Germany.