BMW WORLD AND MUSEUM
Car Heaven for Visitors to Munich
BMW is Munich’s car company. Stuttgart has Mercedes and Porsche,
Audi’s massive facility is in Augsburg, but BMW - Bavarian Motor
Works (pronounced Bay-Em-Vey in Germany) is the symbol of the southern
German city within view of the Alps. Other German cars were better known,
the Volkswagen “bug” was the cute oddity which ran forever,
the Mercedes was the symbol of the elite and Porsche the rich man’s
mid-life crisis toy, but it is the BMW which cemented Germany’s
world wide reputation for engineering precision. Fans of the others might
argue, but with the introduction of the 2000 series, the “sports
sedan” meant performance and precision for the aficionado. It was
the BMW engine, developed from the company’s origin as the maker
of aircraft engines which made the brand’s reputation.
Arriving
in Munich on the autobahn from the airport, one passes the distinctive
BMW factory
headquarters design in the shape of four clustered
engine cylinders topped by then BMW logo. The iconic tower on the edge
of the Bavarian city which by ordinance restricts high buildings was
constructed in the early 1970s at the same time as the stadium for the
1972 Munich Olympics, which now forms the remaining center of the Olympia
Park across the street from the factory. Shortly after the headquarters
was finished, a another unique for its time building called “the
Dish” was built next to tower to house the BMW Museum and 25 years
later, BMW completed its modern Mecca of automotive ecstasy with the
opening on 2007 of BMW World (BMW WELT), striking for its stunning architecture
of twisted whirlwind diamond of glistening platinum plastic and glass.
The BMW center is one of Munich’s most popular visitor attractions,
with three separate, though combinable activities, the BMW Museum, BMW
World and the factory tour.
BMW MUSEUM
The BMW Museum,
one of the oldest car museums in Germany, moved to the dish building
in
1973 and redesigned and reopened in 2008, featuring
a collection of BMW historical cars, motorcycles, and engines in a “winding
road” layout circling through the original dish and multi-floored
connected building added when the new center opened, exploring the past
history of BMW engineering development, design and technology encompassing
the growth and evolution of the company. The Museum presents permanent
and changing exhibits in 26 themes representing past, present and future.
The Museum requires an admission charge of €10 for adults, €7 for students and seniorswith a
family card for up to 5 for €24.
BMW WELT
BMW Welt
(BMW World) is the car manufacturers flagship face for its brand, designed
as an experience
for customers visiting the factory to pick up ordered
new cars and for casual visitors to explore the world of BMW. With the
historic cars over in the museum, the BMW Welt houses the car company’s
current and advanced engineering signature, with displays of current
models, the forays auto racing, and interactive hands on exhibits demonstrating
the physics and experience of automotive driving, from learning to drive
in the snow to inner workings of an overhead cam and fuel injection,
an amusement park for car fans. Aside from the assorted game-like hands
on activities, the live personnel provide presentations and insights
into all things BMW. The BMW World exhibit area is free to enter, though
sections are reserved for customers picking up their cars. The building
has a gourmet Club Restaurant and Coffee Bar on the upper level with
views of the Olympia Park as well as a more casual restaurant and an
extensive shop for souvenirs, from model cars, clothes and sports gear,
to bicycles and golf clubs, along with BMW branded merchandise. Guided
tours of the BMW Welt are available for 6€.
BMW FACTORY TOURS
Tours of
the BMW Factory Plant are available to the public, Mondays through
Fridays 8am to 8pm.
Reservation are required. They can be made
in advance or on-site, though with a wait when it’s busy. Register
at the vistior’s help desk in the BMW Welt building and get a tour
time, then explore the exhibits until the guided tour starts. Tough if
you definitely want a plant tour, reserve a spot in advance and make
your BMW experience on that day. Adults are 6€, children half price
and family of two adults plus kids is 12€. Children under 6 are
free.
Visiting BMW World in Munich
A
trip to the BMW Welt and Museum at the north end of suburban Munich
can be
combined
with the Olympic Park with is sports facilities and high
tv tower with observation tower views of Munich stretching into the Bavarian
country across the road. With a car, there is parking underground at
the BMW World Building at the Lerchenauerstrass entrance, 3€ per
hour to max 20€ per day. (Parking is half price if you purchase
something in the shop). By public transport, both bus service and U-bahn
trains stop at the BMW facility and Olympic Park - take the U3 to the
Olympiazentrum station. © Bargain
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BMW World
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See Also:
MERCEDES BENZ MUSEUM - STUTTGART
MUNICH'S PINAKOTHEK ART MUSEUMS
VOLKSWAGEN AUTOSTADT WOLFSBURG
