The Städel Museum Has An Underground Gallery Hidden Under The Garden

After seeing so many amazing underground homes around the world we felt inspired and figured it would be interesting to also take a look at a museum that has an underground galley.

Stodel museum by schneider schumacher kids

Stodel museum by schneider schumacher kids
Stodel museum by schneider schumacher kids
Stodel museum by schneider schumacher kids

The Städel Museum in Frankfurt, Germany needed to be extended and, in 2007, architects Schneider + Schumacher won the competition and got to design the new building. They placed below the museum’s garden. Seems fantastic, right? But just how amazing this underground space looks and how magical the curved roof is with 195 roof lights.

Stodel museum by schneider schumacher kids
Stodel museum by schneider schumacher kids

The curved roof slab is supported by only 12 concrete columns. From the inside, the circular skylights give the gallery a futuristic look. From the outside, a unique garden is portrayed where visitors can walk over these translucent skylights.

Stodel museum by schneider schumacher kids
Stodel museum by schneider schumacher kids
Stodel museum by schneider schumacher kids
Stodel museum by schneider schumacher kids
Stodel museum by schneider schumacher kids

The new exhibition space can be accessed via a staircase from inside the museum. Light floods inside through the skylights to illuminate the artwork. The stark, white interior has a sculptural allure and serves as the perfect background for the colorful art pieces.

Stodel museum by schneider schumacher kids
Stodel museum by schneider schumacher kids

Given the entire nature of this new extension, the gallery could easily feel overwhelming but the roof feels surprisingly lightweight and the white interior has a sophisticated appeal. Instead of feeling cold and austere, it feels really welcoming and the ambiance is softened by all the exquisite shapes and forms showcased inside the space.