If you are visiting Munich, and especially you are a car fan, you have to go visit BMW Welt and BMW museum.
When I first heard that BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke I was surprised. Maybe it is the brand image being so luxurious and beautiful I was expecting something cooler. But now that I also live in Munich (aka capital of Bavaria) and already started to get influenced by “Bayerische” I now think it is cool 🙂
Inside BMW Welt
Actually BMW headquarters, BMW Welt- which is BMW’s showroom and BMW museum are all close to each other in one of the most beautiful parks of Munich- Olympia Park. So with one visit to Olympia Park you can cover all in half day.
Don’t think you have to be car enthusiast to enjoy these places as I was not, still it was an enjoying trip. After all almost all tourists visiting Munich and many locals can’t be that wrong!
If anything you can just enjoy Olympia Park and its view. And just take a photo of famous design of BMW headquarter building which is their signature 4 cylinder shaped and next to it BMW Welt.
BMW’s headquarters and BMW Welt
Entry to BMW Welt is free, it means BMW World in German and inside you can find not only a showroom for BMW Group’s latest models but also nice cafes to have a break and car toys, gifts, accessories and sometimes exhibition-selling of car model toys collections.
I said BMW group because you will also see Mini Cooper and Rolls-Royce models inside. (Yeap, that Rolls-Royce, I also didn’t know BMW purchased it until I visit here). Of course taking a picture inside cars or on motorcycles is a bit embarrassing but had to do activity here!
BMW is founded in 1916 so they celebrated their 100 years in 2016. We immediately think of cars when we hear BMW but actually they produced boats, plane motors, motorcycles and a lot more area too.
One thing I like most about BMW Welt is, it is also open every day and until late hours. (In Germany, generally most places close at most 20:00 and also close on Sundays).
Just strolling in Olympia Park is reason enough to come here!
Next to BMW Welt you can find BMW museum though this time entry needs ticket. BMW museum is closed on Mondays and open rest of the week from 10:00 until 18:00 pm. Tickets are 10 euro for adults and 7 euro for students. There are more economic options for families (2 adult and 3 kid for 24 euro) or for big groups. Inside you will find many classic BMW cars and modern ones from 100 years history of BMW. Not just cars of course but many info and special rooms for designing, advertising, history of BMW. Also motors, and other BMW product examples as well.
I was interested most in the model which was used in James Bond movie and some special painted one for exhibition purposes. Your tickets are valid for 5 hours but frankly if you are not going to read everything, watch every video and took photo of every car, 1-2 hours is more than enough. Museum is on several floors and each floor has divided into rooms with specific concepts.
So even though I don’t have any particular interest in cars or BMW, it was nice to see through history models and learn more about this world famous brand. I didn’t get bored at all. But this experience probably enough to have one time! But I can imagine especially for car enthusiast and BMW lovers it will truly be very nice experience. (Also for kids!) Actually while we were inside I saw two BMW employee (from their t-shirt –it was written BMW junior program) were giving a tour to a group of small kids and teaching them some engineering and design concepts in a fun way. Of course German engineering will be in good hands if kids gets introduced to these concepts in small age I thought! Because when I was that age most scientific I did was creating sprouts from beans buried into wet cotton!
Well anyway, you should also know that museum has an app you can download and use while exploring the museum. (I assume if you are reading this blog you are old enough not to be taken into BMW junior program :D)
So if you are a BMW enthusiast and can’t get enough even with BMW Welt and BMW museum, actually there is more! You can join a manufacturing plant tour for BMW! But you have to reserve it before. It takes around 2.5 hours with a guide. One person is for 9 euro and group price is 180 (upto 30 people).
If you are interested in this you can send e-mail to: infowelt@bmw-welt.com
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