Explore Munich : Deutsches Museum

Deutsches Museum :  A Visit to the World’s Largest Science and Technology Museum in Europe


We are once again in Germany. If you love history and are seeking places to satisfy your thirst for knowledge, then you will be overwhelmed with the number of museums in the country. Munich (München) alone has over eighty museums, but today, we will visit just one, the Deutsches Museum.(1)

Aviation

What is the Deutsches Museum?

The Deutsches Museum is the world’s largest science and technology museum. It’s home to over 28,000 exhibited objects from 50 fields of science and technology, making it a great place for adults and children to spend a day getting up to speed on the technological innovations of the past, present, and future. What an educational way to spend a day off!

The museum is so large that visitors often get lost and enchanted by the numerous exhibits. Just remember to pick up a floor plan at the entrance!

When was the Deutsches Museum Founded?

The museum was founded in June 1903. A German engineer, Oskar von Miller, was an instrumental figure in this field and is considered the founder of Deutsches Museum.

Where is the Deutsches Museum Located?

The Deutsches Museum spreads over several sites. The main location is on a small island, known as Museumsinsel, in the Isar River in Munich. If you remember, we saw quite a bit of the Isar in the colourful Autumn Walk post last year.


Location


The other sites in the country include:

  • Flugwerft Schleißheim (Munich), which houses aviation exhibits and opened in 1992.
  • Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum (Munich), which features transportation technology exhibits and opened in 2003.
  • Bonn Branch (Bonn), which focuses on German technology and research after 1945.

How Do You Get to the Deutsches Museum?

The museum recommends visitors to use public transport to get to Museumsinsel.(2)

  • S-Bahn:

All trains, Isartor

  • Tram:

Line 17, Deutsches MuseumLine 16, IsartorLine 18, FraunhoferstraßeLine 19, Deutsches Museum

  • Bus:

Line 132, BoschbrückeLine 52 + 62, Baaderstrasse

  • U-Bahn:

Line 1 + 2, Fraunhoferstrasse

Getting there

When Can I Visit the Deutsches Museum?

The museum is open to the public every day between 9 am and 5 pm, but do check their homepage before visiting to be aware of any changes.

What Are Some of the Exhibits?

Science freaks will love this place. If you are not one, you will still be amazed at endless variety of exhibits to explore, including those that teach visitors about various sciences, history, musical instruments, minerals, machines, and technology. I am sure you will find at least a couple of topics that interest you!

Here are some of the permanent exhibits you’ll find at the museum:(3)

List of exhibits

I’ve also included some photos of the various exhibits at the Museumsinsel site. Hopefully they give you a feel of the amazing findings this museum showcases. Here is a try at them. 😊 

         Energy Technology 

This section showcases various energy sources from windmills to water mills. You can also see artificial streams and models that show how hydro-power spins the watermills.

Energy technology


·         Glass industry

This section shows the work that goes on inside a glass factory.

At work


Here’s another form of glass. Ever wonder what early spectacles looked like? Well, you’ll find out here! For the curious, they were created as early as 1600. Also, did you know Brille means glasses in Deutsch?

That's just like the one I wear

 ·         Ceramics
The next picture shows pottery and ceramics dating back to thousands of years ago. The regions where they were discovered are also mentioned in exhibits. 

Any China for coffee?


·         Toys

This is section is for the small and not-so-small. These are modern toys, as Lego’s, ancestors.  Notice that most of them are made from stone. Can you imagine how heavy the the old-Lego-like grand pas would have been?
The kid inside us

Don’t these blocks look amazing? These are not printed like the ones we get today. These are actual cut stones.
Santa's sack will be heavy

·         Aviation/Aerospace

There were so many interesting displays of early aircrafts. Here two very famous ones!
Fly fly


·         History of Music, Musical Instruments, and TV.

There are many traditional musical instruments and devices that were used for radio and TV broadcasting displayed in this saloon. There was even an unaided piano here where the keys moved on their own to produce the sounds. See the invisible musician? 😊


The invisible musician

·         Clocks.

You’ll find many types of clocks in this section. Here is one. Can you tell if it is lunch time?

Tell me when its lunch


·         Mining

To finish off, here is a picture of a mine. You can see also see amazing and very fascinating shows about how natural resources have been mined.

Dark exploration


I have been informed by the museum that currently the museum is undergoing major refurbishment  activities and only half of the building is open to the public. Nevertheless, there is so much to see and a day is still hardly sufficient to cover the open areas. For more information visit here


The museum is vast and hugely popular among visitors of all ages. It is a highly recommended place to visit, so when you are in Munich, be sure to plan some time to come here.

An entrance ticket is required for anyone over six years of age, and it can be purchased either on location or online. Yearly membership is also available for the frequent visitor. Do check for any local concessions offered.  Visitors who are on a tight travel budget need not worry. Tickets are reasonably priced. 

As I mentioned earlier, visitors can easily get lost (in thought) here. It is not unusual to spend many hours at this museum. If you get hungry, there is a large restaurant where you can get a good meal and a hot cup of coffee. Below are some hot cuppas from around Germany. Pick one, and enjoy your coffee while seeing the exhibits at the museum.

Reach for knowledge. Reach for the stars, Reaching Delphi.

Thank you for the coffee pictures 💗




Traveller on location : Babak. Danke schön Babak for the pictures and taking us on a tour of the museum. (Virtual traveller, me 😎 )




Update: 18/June - regarding refurbishment activities.