If you are obsessed with following tiny-legged weiner dogs on Instagram, you’re not alone — the favorite breed of Einstein and Picasso is making a comeback in popularity. Especially in Bavaria, where locals are obsessed with the little dachshunds. To celebrate the region’s love for sausage dogs, Germany has opened the first museum curated in honor of dachshunds.
You Can Now Visit an Entire Museum Dedicated to Weiner Dogs
The new Dackelmuseum is located in Passau, Bavaria, where the dog is a symbol of the region. Said to be the world’s largest collection of dachshund memorabilia, curators amassed the showcase over 25 years. The exhibition has been set up by Josef Küblbeck and Oliver Storz, who recently gave up their day jobs to work full-time on their dream of owning a dachshund museum.
Küblbeck, told the BBC, “The world needs a sausage dog museum…no other dog in the world enjoys the same kind of recognition or popularity as the symbol of Bavaria, the sausage dog.”
The curators’ own sausage dogs, Seppi and Moni, are the only two living animals in the museum. The collection of 4,500 items includes fluffy toys, postcards, handmade puppets, and earrings.
Local businesses seem to be embracing the sausage dog mania; The Times reported that a bakery close to the museum is selling dachshund-shaped chocolates and you can order a dachshund pizza topped with sausages at a local restaurant.
“We wanted to give this dog a home where people can come and share their joy,” Kueblbeck told Reuters. “Its popularity is increasing because the sausage dog, with its so-called sausage dog look, has conquered the hearts of many people.”
This is not the first museum dedicated to fuzzy friends; Kuching, Malaysia has an impressive cat museum and Torrington, Alberta, Canada is home to the world’s only gopher exhibit. 