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Two famous politicians believed pigs were a worthy topic of conversation.
Harry Truman once said, “No man should be allowed to be the president who does not understand hogs.”
Likewise, Winston Churchill said, “I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.”
Both politicians probably would have been amused to find their quotes painted along a “wall of fame” at the world’s largest pig museum in Stuttgart.
Located at Stuttgart’s former slaughterhouse, dating back to 1909, the Schweinemuseum, or pig museum, opened its doors to the public in May of 2010. The museum displays close to 42,000 artifacts, including jewelry, collector’s items, household goods, dishes, sculptures, movies, books and paintings, all concerning pigs.
“Overall, the museum has 25 different themed exhibition halls and three separate rooms for rotating exhibits. It’s all about the colorful world of pigs in here,” said Holger Siegle, museum spokesperson.
All of the exhibits are in German and English.
“People are surprised, and the reactions we’ve gotten so far were absolutely positive. Nobody really knows what to expect from a pig museum,” Siegle added.
The pigs come in all shapes and forms, and they are embedded in culture, quotes, history and traditions.
The first room starts with the display of a historical butchery, introducing utensils used for slaughter dating back to the 19th century. The second room takes visitors out to the woods, into nature and to the wild boars. Another room holds various treasures for the enthusiastic hunter and is called the “Jägerstube,” the hunter’s room.
“This room has the character of a typical hunters’ hut, displaying glasses, pitchers, mugs and many wooden accessorizes all designed with the motif of wild boars,” Siegle explained.
The museum’s diverse exhibits take visitors through history to legends and myths, and back again to modern pig pop culture.
The “pig laboratory” illustrates the anatomy of pigs and showcases a pig skeleton from the U.S.
Different pig breeds and techniques throughout history are illustrated on paintings, drafts and photos leading up to the modern idea of a breeding sow, known in German as “the golden sow.”
Along with the more educational history on pigs, visitors can find playful kitsch, like a dozen plush pigs arranged inside preservation jars or piggy banks in all sizes, scattered along window sills and sideboards.
“We are using pretty much everything that has to do with pigs, no matter where the word ‘pig’ or ‘sow’ appears,” Siegle said.
One example is the “global pig” room, featuring various pig figurines and artifacts made out of wood, plastic and porcelain, and brought to Stuttgart from all over the world.
Among the featured items are a pig sheriff, the Statue of Liberty with a pig head, pig earrings, pig beer mugs, lucky pigs, pigs in wedding gowns, and pigs dressed up as chefs or even hanging from a key chain.
Pigs were also part of legends and mythology, and visitors can learn about this connection at the museum’s “myth pig” showroom.
Another highlight is the “pig calendar” on the first floor.
“Visitors can open a wooden door with their birth date [on it] to find their own lucky pig for the year,” Siegle said.
On the second floor, visitors will see another curiosity, a 2.5-meter-high pyramid made out of hundreds of plush pigs. The pyramid represents everlasting luck, since it is surrounded by mirrors, endlessly reflecting this piece of art.
The museum also offers a hands-on play room for children and a small “Pig Movie Theater,” playing TV shows featuring pigs, such as “The Muppet Show.”
After an eventful journey into the world of pigs, visitors can stop by the “Schlachthof” restaurant in the museum, for rustic Swabian food (and an English menu). The restaurant also has a beer garden and picturesque terrace for visitors to enjoy a cool beer or a “Schweinshaxe” (ham bone) during the summer.
The pig museum aims to impress children and adults through a combination of interesting curios, educational facts about pigs and even the lure of luck. After touring the museum, visitors will know almost everything there is to know about this popular animal.
They may even ask the same question the French writer Grimod de la Reynière asked in the 19th century: “Everything in a pig is good. What ingratitude has permitted his name to become a term of opprobrium [disgrace]?”
For more information on the museum and restaurant, visit www.schweinemuseum.de.
English guided tours can be booked by calling civ. 0711-66419-600.
