Stuttgart is home to the world's biggest Pig Museum
In 2010 Stuttgart gained a "swinish" attraction – the Pig Museum in the former slaughterhouse. From lucky pig mascots to piggy banks and cuddly toys – from mass-produced kitsch and articles of daily use to valuable antiques and collector's items: over 50,000 exhibits from all over the world tell their porcine stories in 27 theme rooms, and in two rooms for special exhibitions.
Owing to lack of space, the "Collectors' and Lucky Pigs Museum" moved to Stuttgart from Bad Wimpfen. In the historic listed building of the former slaughterhouse dating from 1909, the passionate collector Erika Wilhelmer found just the right place for her whimsical collection. The Art Nouveau ambience harmonises perfectly with the cultural history of the pig. The world's largest collection of pigs is one of the most offbeat attractions that Stuttgart has to offer.
Among the various representations of pigs from art to kitsch, there are also numerous unique and valuable pieces. The exhibits are made of pottery, wood, metal or chocolate. They grace postage stamps, pin cushions, posters. They run, smoke, dance or play cards. There are old and new collector's items, tiny china pigs and metre-high sows. From zoology to pigs in art, mythology and symbolism – the displays convey a comprehensive impression of the essence of hog, sow and piglet. As with all major museums, the Pig Museum has a permanent exhibition and alternating temporary displays. For the special exhibitions the museum frequently engages well-known guest artists, for example Horst Eckert, alias Janosch or temporarily presents interesting topics such as the Chinese year of the pig.
The different theme rooms, spread over two floors, give visitors the opportunity to ponder the sense, nonsense, and of course also the artistic representation of pigs. And the exhibition continues in the museum grounds: the sculpture garden with alternating works of art, and a children's museum with an integrated playground, where children can let off steam to their heart's content, round off the visit.
Also in the sculpture garden is the bright pink "Säuli-Bahn" piggy-bank tram from the Basle Transport Authority. Standing out from afar with its larger-than-life pig's head at the front, this Swiss tramcar was added to the ensemble in front of Stuttgart's Pig Museum in the summer of 2013.
In addition to the extensive collections, there are also several places serving food in the former slaughterhouse complex, from the restaurant to the coffee shop terrace and the beer garden.
Additional information under: www.schweinemuseum.de
