Description

Essentials about the BMW Museum in brief

A visit to the BMW Museum is not only something for die-hard fans of the Bavarian car manufacturer, but is also recommended for car drivers and lovers in general. On around 5,000 square meters of exhibition space, the museum presents the company, brand and product history of BMW with the help of around 120 car and motorcycle models. With over half a million visitors a year, the BMW Museum is one of the most popular corporate museums in Germany.

The architecture of the BMW Museum

The BMW Museum was opened in 1973 together with the new corporate headquarters standing right next door. The architect of both buildings was Viennese professor Karl Schwanzer. Due to its unconventional shape with a circular footprint of about 20 meters and a flat roof about twice as large, the museum building is often jokingly referred to as the “salad bowl” or “white sausage kettle”.

The museum’s exhibition principle is based on the world-famous concept of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Inside the building, there is a spiral path on the outer wall that museum visitors first walk up. Exhibits are located on a total of four “islands” along the seemingly free-hanging walkway. After literally “walking” through the exhibition, the visitor reaches the upper floor, where there are more exhibits and a cinema room. Visitors finally return to the first floor via a central escalator that runs freely through the space below.

From 2004 to 2008, the BMW Museum was fundamentally remodeled and expanded. The “salad bowl” was connected to an adjacent building in which a new permanent exhibition was created with more than 25 thematic focal points where visitors can learn about topics such as BMW design, BMW motorsports and BMW’s visions for the future.

The exhibition of the BMW Museum

The exhibition at the BMW Museum shows the entire range of vehicles and aircraft produced by the BMW Group (with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands) and their technical development over the course of the company’s history. Therefore, in addition to automobiles and motorcycles, turbines, aircraft and vehicle studies are also on display.

For those who need a souvenir to finish off their enthusiasm for BMW, the museum’s store offers a wide selection of BMW and MINI brand products. The products range from souvenirs to clothing and leather goods to accessories for golf, sailing and motor sports. And if you want to do something about hunger, you can visit the museum restaurant M1.

The BMW Welt

If you haven’t learned enough about the Bavarian car company after a visit to the BMW Museum, you can then visit BMW Welt (BMW World), which is located in the immediate vicinity and is, by the way, the most visited tourist attraction in Bavaria. Housed in a futuristic building since 2007, the BMW Welt is a combined exhibition, delivery, experience and event venue. In the so-called “Brand World,” visitors can view vehicles from the Group’s BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands and learn about the vehicles’ technology and innovations. The BMW Welt offer is rounded off by several gastronomic establishments and a Lifestyle & Accessory Shop.

Website

bmw-welt.com/museum

Opening hours

Admission fees

Adults: €12

Seniors (Ages 65 and above): €8

Students (Ages 11 – 27): €8

Children (Ages 10 and under): free

Families (2 adults and 3 children): €29

Address

Getting there

By public transport:

Subway (U-Bahn) lines 3 and 8: Stops Petuelring and Olympiazentrum

Bus lines 173 and N76: Stop Olympiapark Eissportstadion

By car:

There is parking on site.