Villa Stuck reopens: after 20 months of renovation, the Munich Künstlerhaus shines in new splendor. Visitors can expect not only a modernized museum with barrier-free access and expanded exhibitions – a work by Franz von Stuck that was long considered lost is also being presented for the first time. With special international exhibitions and an inclusive educational program, Villa Stuck is setting new accents in Munich’s cultural landscape.

On October 18, 2025, after 20 months of construction work on Prinzregentenstrasse, the Villa Stuck Museum will reopen its doors. The reopening of the Villa Stuck marks an important moment for Munich’s cultural life, as the building combines history, contemporary art and innovative educational programs to create an overall experience.

The renovation work on the Villa Stuck was necessary to bring the listed artists’ house up to date both technically and structurally. The building was last completely renovated between 1999 and 2004. After more than two decades, numerous technical systems such as air conditioning and alarm technology as well as fire protection systems had to be completely renewed. The aim was to continue to meet international standards for the protection of valuable works of art. The reopening of the Villa Stuck is also an architectural event. In addition to the technical renovations, the facades, sculptures and reliefs were restored. Roof figures, portals and garden walls were carefully restored in concrete in order to ensure their long-term substance and safety. The colorful façade reliefs based on designs by Franz von Stuck himself were reworked, as were the antique casts. The artist’s garden was also redesigned and enhanced with an extended path system and new planting. Special attention was paid to accessibility. In future, the museum will be accessible via the new entrance on Ismaninger Straße. Inside, elevators, checkrooms and sanitary facilities have been modernized to ensure equal access for all visitors.

The reopening of Villa Stuck not only brings technical improvements, but also new spatial concepts. For example, an underground utility room has been created to relieve the garden area and create space for visitors. The historic rooms now feature new furnishings, new hangings and some previously unpublished works by Franz von Stuck. Highlights include the “Fantastic Hunt” (before 1890), the “Vision of St. Hubertus” (1890) and the portrait of a woman from Mainz, newly added to the collection, which was previously only known in a black and white reproduction. Restorations of Stuck’s idiosyncratic painting technique, including the overpainted Baroque painting “Beheading of St. John”, provide new insights into his work. In the music salon, the historical furnishings with vermilion-colored silk curtains have also been reconstructed. In collaboration with the Doerner Institute, an art-technological examination of the wall paintings was carried out, the results of which are presented in special guided tours.

With the reopening of the Villa Stuck, the museum is also launching a new exhibition program. Two central exhibitions accompany the relaunch:

• “Chicks on Speed. Utopia” – A comprehensive retrospective of the internationally renowned artists’ collective, which has been combining art, music, performance, fashion and activism for 30 years. The show presents works from three decades, including installations, music projects and performances.
• “Louise Giovanelli. A Song of Ascents” – The British painter’s first major solo exhibition in Germany. In her paintings, Giovanelli focuses on stage sets, rituals and collective experiences between promise and abyss.

In addition, the “Of Books and Libraries” project opens the museum’s own specialist library to visitors for the first time. Here, books can be browsed through and rearranged, allowing interactive access to the collection.

A central component of the reopening of the Villa Stuck is the new educational program. It was developed with a focus on inclusion and cultural participation. In addition to offers for children in cooperation with inclusive daycare centers, there are programs for people with dementia or psychiatric experience. Touch tours and guided tours in sign language take place regularly. Workshops, writing workshops, discussion series and an inclusive museum choir complete the program. Villa Stuck aims to be not just a museum, but a lively meeting place for all sections of the population.

Following the reopening of the Villa Stuck, opening hours have been extended: The museum is open every day except Mondays from 11 am to 6 pm, and on Wednesdays even until 8 pm. A special offer is the “Friday Late” on the first Friday of every month, when the museum is open until 10 pm and can be visited free of charge. For the “Long Night of Munich Museums” on October 18, 2025, Villa Stuck will remain open until 01:00. Admission is also free on the two Sundays following the reopening, October 19 and 26.

The refurbishment was initiated by the City of Munich as the client. Kiessler Architekten were responsible for the planning and implementation, supported by various specialist planning offices for structural engineering, air conditioning, fire protection and landscape architecture. The work is divided into two construction phases: The first was completed in time for the opening on October 17, 2025, while the second will end in spring 2026. Outstanding measures include the complete replanting of the garden, the restoration of the sculptures and the opening of a new museum restaurant and a lecture room in the basement.

The reopening of the Villa Stuck is more than just the return of a building steeped in tradition. It stands for the successful bridging of historical architecture, modern museum technology and a program that allows visitors to experience art in all its facets. With the combination of restored historical rooms, international exhibitions and an inclusive educational program, Villa Stuck is repositioning itself in Munich’s cultural landscape. Visitors can look forward to a diverse program ranging from early childhood art education to interdisciplinary concerts. The reopening of the Villa Stuck thus sends out a strong signal: Art history and contemporary art go hand in hand here, and the house remains a place of lively cultural encounters.

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Everyone is talking about green roofs, but other roof colors also have a positive effect on the urban heat island effect. A study from the UK has shown that white-painted roofs have a better cooling effect than green roofs. They could reduce temperatures in London by up to 1.2°C on hot days.

Heat build-up in cities is an increasingly important issue that is much discussed in the context of the heatwaves that now occur every year. White paint helps: both roofs and other surfaces store less heat when they are light in color. Reflective roofs with a white or light color could reduce the temperature in entire districts by 1.2°C or even up to 2°C, according to a study. The scientists carried out computer simulations using the British capital London as an example. They were also able to show that planted roofs, street greenery and photovoltaic systems only have a minor cooling effect.

The new study in the journal “Geophysical Research Letters”, led by Oscar Brousse from University College London, analyzes the effects of various measures on temperatures in Greater London. The team used data from July 26 and 27, 2018, two days with maximum temperatures. With an accuracy of one kilometer and one study, the scientists’ three-dimensional model showed the temperature curves in the various urban areas. The simulation ran for eleven runs.

Cool roofs performed best by far: They can cool the surrounding area by up to 2°C. This includes roofs that are painted white. Special thin-film materials, light-colored concrete and light-colored metal also help to reflect the sun’s rays. In this way, the roofs do not heat up too much.

According to the study, London could reduce its temperatures by 0.5°C if all the roofs in question were covered with solar cells. Trees and street greenery could reduce temperatures by 0.3°C, green roofs by 0.5°C – but only during the day. At night, green roofs can increase the temperature of the surrounding area by up to 0.5°C, as their evaporation contributes to higher humidity and therefore muggier air.

The researchers also calculated what other effects cities like London can use to mitigate hot temperatures. They found that cool roofs are the best way to keep the environment as cool as possible, even on hot summer days.

Solar panels on London rooftops would be enough to power air conditioning systems across the city and keep the temperature inside buildings at around 21°C. However, as these dissipate heat from the building to the outside, the overall average temperature in the city would actually increase. Nevertheless, solar cells are not a bad choice as they attract less heat than other dark roofs. This is because they are located above the roof and absorb a large proportion of the solar radiation before it can heat up the building.

The situation is similar with green roofs: Although they produce heat at night, they ensure cooler temperatures during the day. They also help to increase biodiversity. They are closely related to blue roofs, which play a role in the sponge city in particular by storing water and helping to regulate rainwater run-off to prevent flooding. Rainfall can be reused with the help of roof cisterns to water green roofs or flush toilets in the building.

And brown roofs are a variant of green roofs. They focus entirely on biodiversity to compensate for the fact that a lot of habitat is lost when cities are built. Materials such as soil and rubble can be used to restore habitats for locally endangered species.

Further south, it has long been known that white roofs are a particularly good solution in hot weather. In Greece, for example, many roofs and exterior walls are painted white. This makes it possible to reflect up to 85 percent of the sunlight, which keeps the building cooler. The surrounding air also remains cool. However, these roofs do not benefit flora and fauna. They also do not help with rainwater storage.

Ultimately, there is no perfect solution for cooler cities. Green roofs are becoming increasingly popular and are now even mandatory for new buildings in some cities. The debate between green and white roofs continues, but it is clear that a combination of green, white, blue and brown brings many valuable benefits to cities. It therefore makes sense to promote innovative approaches that make life in the city pleasant even in summer.

Read more: In June 2024, our print edition was all about the roof.