A former Prussian officers' casino now showcases the artistic legacy of Helmut Newton (1920–2004), the Berlin-born enfant terrible of fashion and lifestyle photography, with the two lower floors dedicated to his life and work. On the top floor, the gloriously restored barrel-vaulted Kaisersaal (Emperor’s Hall) forms a grand backdrop for changing international photography exhibits.
Shortly before his fatal car crash, Newton donated 1500 images along with personal effects to the city in which he was born. He had studied photography here with famed fashion photographer Yva before fleeing Nazi Germany in 1938. His work reflects a lifelong obsession with the female body, which he often portrayed in controversial, quasi-pornographic poses. The ground-floor exhibit, entitled 'Helmut Newton's Private Property', provides a personal look at the man. On view are his partially recreated Monte Carlo office, his first camera (an Agfa Box he bought aged 12) and his customised Jeep (dubbed the Newton-Mobile). The galleries on the 1st floor showcase changing exhibitions of Newton's work, as well as that of his wife Alice Springs and other contemporaries such as James Nachtwey and David LaChapelle.