Deutsches Verpackungs-Museum

Founded in 1997, the Deutsches Verpackungs-Museum (German Packaging Museum) in Heidelberg is the first museum of its kind to focus on the cultural achievements of packaging, especially those of traditional brands and their distinctive packaging designs.

The philosophy behind this small museum holds that the way we package goods can be seen as a mirror of cultural developments in society. Though the function of packaging is always the same—to protect and identify goods for sale—its style changes over time, from materials to colors to graphic design. By examining the ways in which packaging changes over time, we can see the change in everyday life over the course of time.

Some of the brands found among the museum’s collection include Nivea, Coca-Cola, and Leibniz Cookies to name a few. A permanent exhibition includes many different examples of these brands’ packages from different eras, so visitors can see the changes they have gone through. Additional rotating exhibits focus on specific movements, designers, and eras in German industrial design.