The Steiff Museum Bear
Isn't it wonderful to always have a reason to celebrate? After 2022 was a year full of wonderful Steiff anniversaries, the next one is already upon us: our Museum Bear has been delighting our museum visitors with a new look every year for a quarter of a century.
Steiff Museum Teddy bear 2023
Since 1998, the Museum Bear has accompanied us through the Steiff year and his limited edition has become a coveted collector's item.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the popular series, this year's Museum Bear is now also available in our Online Shop.
More about the Museum Bear and his conception
The Museum Bears
Year after year, the Museum Bear can be adorned for special occasions, giving our designers a wide range of creative opportunities. In the early years, the Museum Bears wore a large porcelain plaque around their necks, bearing the museum's logo at the time. Now the plaque, chest tag or ribbon varies depending on the bear's appearance.
The conception
In 1998, the initial idea was to create a very special bear that could only be purchased during a visit to the Steiff Museum. At that time, the museum was still located in the East Building on the company premises and visitors were given an exclusive advantage with the opportunity to buy the limited-edition Teddy bear at the nearby factory outlet.
In the new Steiff Museum since 2005
Since the completion and inauguration of the new museum in 2005, the Museum Bear has been available exclusively in the museum shop.
For some collectors, the annual visit to the Steiff Museum has become almost a tradition to purchase the latest bear.
For the 25th anniversary: Museum Bear available online
Not all collectors are able to visit the museum every year, many Steiff friends live far away, and the years 2020 to 2022 were severely limited by the pandemic. So we have decided to ship the Museum Bear in the future, making him available to all fans of the series. He will remain an exclusive collector's item as the limitation of 2,005 pieces per year will be maintained.
The Museum Teddy bear 2023 is a white beauty made of paper plush and belongs to the Teddies for tomorrow range. He wears a double satin ribbon made from recycled polyester around his neck to match the colour of his embroidered pink nose. The year 2023 and the words "Steiff Museumsbär" are also carefully embroidered in pink on the white Alcantara paw pads.
So check out our Online Shop, or if you visit our Steiff Museum or the Steiff Summer this year, why not continue the lovely tradition of buying the Museum Bear on the spot in Giengen?