What to do on a rainy day in Munich? I looked at the information leaflet I had picked up at the Tourist Information Centre on Marienplatz and found, to my delight, two quirky sounding museums. One was the Nachttopf Museum (chamber pot museum) and the other the Kartoffelmuseum. (Potato museum). Chamberpots first I decided and set off. It wasn’t easy to find, but when I arrived, slightly soaked and in need of…you know what, I found it had closed. The guy in the Bistro downstairs explained, that the owner had recently passed away and his beneficiaries had auctioned off his unique collection. So, if you visit Munich and still find it mentioned in the brochure, don’t bother.
The Potato Museum on the other hand is still very much alive and kicking. It’s located near the Nordbahnhof, best reached by subway. Part of the small museum is dedicated to the history of the potato, but what’s much more attractive is the collection of works of art and gadgets that have ever been made using potatoes. There is a potato telephone from Idaho, a potato alphabet and, most fascinating, potato sculptures by an artist named Harald J. Braun. He takes the biggest potato he can find, carves a face into it, then lets it naturally shrink and dry, ageing the face in the process. Very much a Dorian Gray effect. The curator is a very pleasant lady, who loves every visitor and is quite prepared to answer any questions you may have. Admission is free, which is another bonus.
