Robotic Worlds

At the beginning of the so-called age of robots, Die Neue Sammlung is devoting itself to these comparatively young contemporaries of mankind. Robots have been shaping our ideas of future and parallel worlds for over 100 years. In recent years, they have become an integral part of our everyday lives. According to experts, their areas of application will increase rapidly in the coming years.

At this historic turning point, the exhibition focuses on the human concept of robots as well as their real form and function. It presents outstanding robots and robot play figures from around 1960 to the present day. They show both the human fantasies and utopian worlds associated with robots, as well as the various realisations and designs of functional robots.
The game figures are usually rather dissimilar to the human and animal worlds, appearing as powerful automatons capable of superhuman deeds. Actual robots present a more diverse picture, which varies greatly depending on the area of application. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, household helpers and toy robots were mostly designed in animal form in order to categorise them in the familiar area of pets and farm animals. More recently, some service robots have also been kept neutral. The humanoid robots of the last decade up to the present day, on the other hand, are becoming increasingly similar to humans and are also taking on human tasks, from conversing and doing household chores to automated carers and doctors.

Milestones in robot development from the museum's own collection are on display, as well as spectacular loans from the Chair of Cognitive Systems at the Technical University of Munich, which complement this collection with life-size humanoid robots. In this way, different areas of application for robotics can be shown, such as household, industry, rescue services, communication and care as well as research and education.

The exhibition is being created in cooperation with Prof Gordon Cheng and the Chair of Cognitive Systems at the Technical University of Munich. Robotic Worlds is part of the redesign of the exhibition tour to mark the 100th anniversary of Die Neue Sammlung, which is focussing on new themes.

Last edited on 06.11.2025