"Fantasy" museum in Bernried: Buchheim Museum der Phantasie

Bernried on the shores of Lake Starnberg is the home of fantastical images. Here, Lothar-Günther Buchheim opened the Buchheim Museum of Phantasy in 2001.

Even if you haven't heard his name, you've certainly heard of his works. Or, at the very least, you've heard of one of them: his book Das Boot was published in 1971. It was later adapted as a film and the result is a classic of German cinema. Buchheim was also a painter and collected objets d'art, amassing a collection that was ultimately estimated to be worth over EUR 100 million.

These works of art are now on display at the Buchheim Museum, which has a total floorspace of 4,000 m2. The pieces include paintings and drawings by famous Expressionists such as Max Pechstein, Emil Nolde and Erich Heckel, but the museum also houses some of Buchheim's own creations, as well as art objects from around the world – Art Nouveau vases, Japanese woodcuts, Indonesian shadow puppets and ink wash drawings from China. Even the building is a work of art.

It is reminiscent of a large yacht and is located in Höhenried park, right on the lake. A particularly eye-catching feature is a long narrow balcony that extends 12 m beyond the shoreline, giving visitors a wonderful view of the Alps on a clear day. The route back to the carpark brings you through the park, past old trees and impressive sculptures.

News, prices and opening hours are all available here.

The best way to round off a day exploring the collection is to go for dinner nearby. With its covered lakeside terrace, the Marina restaurant is just 500 m from the museum, further along the promenade that runs along the shore. The establishment is in the higher price category and serves fantastic Mediterranean cuisine that you can enjoy while watching the sun set over the lake.

Getting here:

The museum is located 21 minutes on foot from Bernried station. Walk along Bahnhofsstrasse. After 110 m, go left onto Karwendelstrasse. Weilheimer Strasse is located at the end of this street. Go right at Weilheimer Strasse and go left just 50 m later onto Höhenrieder Weg. A path appears on your right 27 m along the street. Take this path and after 600 m, it meets Tutzinger Strasse. Cross the road and keep going – you are now on Am Yachthafen – until you reach the lakeside path. Go left and follow the path until you reach the museum.