German Plastics Museum
Discover the history of plastics
From the past to the present
Discover the scientific, technical, economic and cultural significance of plastics. The German Plastics Museum brings the history and development of this material to life through travelling exhibitions and an extensive digital collection.
In the virtual museum, you can explore more than 7,000 objects from the collection online and research them through text and images. The travelling exhibitions also bring selected themes to different venues throughout Germany.
Frequently asked questions about the German Plastics Museum
History, collection and exhibitions at a glance
Find out more about the German Plastics Museum, its extensive collection and the virtual museum. Here you’ll find answers to the most important questions about the history of plastics, exhibitions and the ways in which you can explore the collection online.
The German Plastics Museum is dedicated to the history and significance of plastics. Founded in 1986, the Plastics Museum Association documents and researches the scientific, technical, economic and cultural development of the material and makes this accessible to a wide audience.
No. The German Plastics Museum does not currently have a permanent exhibition. As a travelling museum, it presents its exhibits and themed exhibitions at various locations – for example, in exhibition centres, public institutions or other venues.
The German Plastics Museum’s collection now comprises more than 20,000 objects dating from the late 19th century to the present day. In the virtual museum, you can browse the collection and access further information on numerous objects.
The virtual museum offers a keyword search as well as various filters. You can search the collection by, amongst other things, country, location, designer, manufacturer, manufacturing technique, material and year of manufacture.
The German Plastics Museum presents changing themed exhibitions and smaller, flexible exhibition units. These include, for example, exhibitions on iconic plastic designs and on the history of plastics and electricity.