About
The Alte Pinakothek (Old Pinakothek) is an art museum situated in the Kunstareal in Munich, Germany. It is one of the oldest galleries in the world. The name (old Pinakothek) aludes to the time period covered by the art — the Neue Pinakothek covers 19th century art and the recently opened Pinakothek der Moderne exhibits modern art, all galleries are part of Munich's "Kunstareal" (the "art area").

One of the world’s great collections of European art from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century is housed in the Alte Pinakothek.

History
The collection was begun by William IV (1508-1550) who ordered important contemporary painters to create several history paintings. Elector Maximilian I (1597-1651) acquired paintings especially of Albrecht Dürer. Maximilian's grandson Maximilian II Emanuel (1679-1726) purchased a lot of Dutch and Flemish paintings when he was Governor of the Spanish Netherlands.

Collection
The museum houses an expanded collection of several thousand European paintings from the 13th to 18th century. Especially its collection of Early Italian, Old German, Old Dutch and Flemish paintings belongs to the most important in the world. More than 800 paintings are exhibited.

Hours:
Open daily excepted monday