Like London, New York and Paris, Berlin is a cultural city well-known for its world-class art museums. Aside from art, the city also have many inspiring photography and design museums and galleries. The Bauhaus Archive Museum of Design is an obvious choice for all design lovers. However, as a design geek and fan of German product designer Dieter Rams, I would highly recommend the lesser-known and almost tourist-free Braun-Sammlung Ettel Museum für Design.

Hidden away in a leafy and quiet residential neighbourhood Moabit, it is easy to miss the entrance to this collection. Not only that, the collection is only open on Mondays and Sundays from 11-5pm, so you certainly have to plan ahead before your visit.

 

 

In the world of industrial and product design, Dieter Rams is like David Bowie in the music world. He worked as an in-house designer for Braun for four decades (1955 – 95), and oversaw the design and production of over 500 products. His design ethos have influenced many contemporary industrial designers, including Jasper Morrison, Naoto Fukasawa (designer of Muji) and Jonathan Ive, the head designer of Apple.

Influenced by the principles of Bauhaus and later Ulm College of Design, Rams‘ “Less, but better” motto is evident in his designs. He came up with his well-known ten principles of “good design” after proposing the question to himself: “Is my design good design?”. And these principles continue to act like precepts for design students, designers and architects etc today.

 

 

This small private museum showcases a vast and fantastic Braun collection that belongs to one man, Werner Ettel. It is hard to imagine how one person could own such an extensive array of household products spanning over decades. As soon as I stepped in, I was like a kid in a candy store, and I didn’t even know where to start… I was also feeling nostalgic to be surrounded by all these vintage objects around me.

 

 

 

The radio collection

 

Although the forms and technology of the products have changed over the years, they all share the “Modern, functional and honest” principles. The products are minimalist in appearance, and they have a timeless aesthetic and appeal. I particularly love the door handles; I wish that contemporary door handles designers could learn more from the master. 

Then I spotted some familiar items: shavers owned by my father, and a travel alarm clock given to me by him when I was a teenager. Maybe it’s time to rummage my family home to look for some vintage Braun products hidden away in storage somewhere.

 

 

 

 

 

Before I left, I bought a braun poster as a way of supporting the free-entry museum. Cool private museums like these are hard to come by these days, and I hope it will continue to inspire young and future designers from around the world. If you appreciate good designs, then this hidden gem is a must when you visit Berlin – just make sure you come on Mondays and Sundays only.

 

 

 

Address: Elberfelder Str. 37, Moabit, 10555 , Berlin.