Braun Collection in Kronberg im Taunus, Germany

If you like design museums and are a fan of industrial design, you must make a pilgrimage to the Braun Sammlung. This gem is hidden away on the second floor of what is essentially a German strip mall.  It is managed by a dedicated non-profit association (Förderkreis BraunSammlung e.V.) in close collaboration with the Braun brand, headquartered around the corner.

Today, you can still buy a Braun shaver (now owned by Procter & Gamble) or a Braun alarm clock, but back in the 1980s, a household could be completely outfitted with Braun's incredibly stylish and user-friendly consumer electronics: TVs, audio equipment, watches, cigarette lighters, epilators, toothbrushes, hairdryers, mixers, coffee makers, film cameras, projectors, and food processors, to name just a few. William Gibson even selected Braun as one of the few brands worthy of surviving into the future in his genre-defining Neuromancer cyberpunk series.

The collection is curated and displayed on par with any top museum in the world. Housed in an airy, modern space, it showcases Braun's entire product history, from wood-cabinet radios to present-day items. Each piece is meticulously annotated in both English and German with model number, designer, and historical notes. Renowned designer Dieter Rams made an outsized contribution to hundreds of these products.

Numerous items are specialty demonstration pieces—likely created for trade fairs—housed in clear plastic enclosures. Even more fascinating are a few dozen products cast inside solid blocks of clear plastic and sliced in half, revealing their intricate inner workings with vivid clarity.

In one of the back rooms, the display cabinets feature glass backings that reveal a true working archive complete with movable library shelves, a small photo studio, and a workspace for the archivists. Design professionals and educators may even be able to arrange for private access to these archives. The facility also offers comfortable seating areas, an array of design books to peruse, excellent restrooms, and a state-of-the-art meeting room suitable for hosting workshops or conferences for up to a few dozen people. A small gift shop stocks an impressive collection of books on Braun products and their designers, all at reasonable prices.