Tracing the development of leading companies in the Stuttgart Region
The Stuttgart Region is home to a great many (family) firms, ranging from medium-sized businesses to global players, whose headquarters are still to be found in the region. But not only that – these economically strong enterprises have also founded outstanding museums and galleries. All around Baden-Württemberg’s state capital they invite visitors to experience their world-famous brands at first hand. Some of these institutions are dedicated to the firm’s own history and products, while other exhibitions focus on a variety of art themes.
In 2021 the Märklineum in Göppingen opened its doors to the public. The museum documents more than 160 years of company history of this model railway manufacturer and brings the legend of the Märklin brand to life again. The Mercedes-Benz Museum focuses on wheels rather than rails, and commemorates the more than 135-year history of the automobile and the legend surrounding the famous star emblem. On an area of 16,500 square metres, 160 vehicles and over 1,500 other exhibits are on display. The Porsche Museum illustrates the product and motorsport history of this Stuttgart sports car manufacturer. In addition to world-famous automobile icons such as the 356, 911 or 917, it also pays tribute to Professor Ferdinand Porsche’s outstanding technical achievements in the early years of the 20th century. The exhibition is in a constant state of flux, as the Porsche Museum is a “rolling museum”, where the vehicles on show still fulfil their original purpose: they’re mobile!
Visitors can embark on a journey through time and 90 years of cleaning technology history at the Kärcher Museum in Winnenden. Founded in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt in 1935, this global leader in the field of cleaning technology relocated to Winnenden at the end of the 1930s and has remained loyal to the Stuttgart Region up to the present day.
Another global leader is Stihl, the world’s most successful manufacturer of motor saws, whose headquarters are in the Swabian town of Waiblingen. Since 2023, visitors to the STIHL brand world immerse themselves in various topics relating to the STIHL brand on three levels and discvoer the fascination forest ecoxystem. Its strong attachment to the location is also underlined by the Galerie Stihl – a municipal exhibition site whose emphasis is on works on paper, from classic drawings to comics and digital design. Company history with an artistic bonus can also be found in Schwäbisch Hall and in Waldenbuch. The privately-owned Kunsthalle Würth, which is funded by the Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG, is an exhibition venue for international modern and contemporary works. The gallery in Schwäbisch Hall stages alternating shows of 20th- and 21st- century art. The Ritter Sport chocolate bars from Waldenbuch that spread sweetness throughout the world are not the only square items found there. Immediately adjacent to the chocolate factory, which was founded in 1912, the Museum Ritter presents a different kind of treats, this time to delight the eye: Marli Hoppe-Ritter’s collection focuses on the Square and its representation in art in the 20th and 21st centuries.
