6 Epic Car Museums in Germany That Every Car Enthusiast Needs to Visit

For the average gearhead or automotive enthusiast, there is no shortage of things to love about Germany. It’s hard not to find favor in a country that serves as host to the ever-mighty Autobahn and the famed Nurburgring.

However, this is far from all that is to be loved about German automotive culture. In fact, Germany is home to a diverse array of world-class automotive museums.

From the Mercedes-Benz Museum, to the Volkswagen Autostadt, the devoted automotive enthusiast could literally spend weeks on end, touring Germany’s most renowned automotive landmarks. To simplify the matter of determining which museums to visit, here are the most noteworthy car museums in Germany.

See Also – Petersen Automotive Museum (Arguably the Best Car Museum in the World)

1. Mercedes-Benz Museum

Location: Stuttgart, Germany

The Mercedes-Benz Museum is a sight to behold for any automotive enthusiast. With nine-levels of displays, totaling 1,500 exhibits, visitors are walked chronologically through the story of Mercedes-Benz’s rise to the pinnacle of performance superiority.

The museum itself houses more than 160 vehicles of varying vintages, allowing enthusiasts from every walk of life to follow along with the historic automaker’s pursuit of perfection.

2. Porsche Museum

Location: Stuttgart, Germany

A visit to the Porsche Museum serves as a no holds barred journey into the world of performance engineering. This museum offers it all, from self-guided tours, to all-inclusive private showcases, the Porsche Museum caters to all clientele.

Perhaps most outstanding is the fact that this museum is completely barrier-free, meaning that visitors can get up close and personal with their favorite performance vehicles.

Visitors can take an all-access production tour when visiting the Porsche Museum, allowing them unparalleled access to all assembly-related functions, from start to finish. Car enthusiasts can actually follow a Porsche-to-be from inception to post-production, every step of the way.

3. BMW Welt & Museum

Location: Munich, Germany

The BMW Welt & Museum serve as two distinct destinations, within a stone’s throw of one another. For this reason, visitors should plan to spend at least 2 days onsite, in order to make the most of their experience. The BMW Welt showcases not only BMW Exhibits, but those from Rolls-Royce and MINI as well. 

Between the BMW Welt and Museum, a number of priceless prototypes, both past and present are on display, providing full transparency into all facets of BMW development. One can delve into the inner-working of BMW design and development, as if they were sitting at the drafting board themselves.

4. Audi Museum

Location: Ingolstadt, Germany

The Audi Museum provides visitors with an experience like none other, showcasing the growth and development of various Audi models, alongside the historical events of the days in which such development took place.

Equal parts automotive showcase and historical archive, the Audi Museum provides visitors from all walks of life an educational, yet entertaining look back into yesteryear.

Visitors to the Audi Museum are greeted by a large number of automotive-based exhibits, numbering 50 or greater at any given time. Approximately 30 motorcycles of various vintages are also on display. Perhaps most renowned is the Museum’s paternoster lift, which displays a total of 14 cars in continuous motion.

5. August Horch Museum

Location: Zwickau, Germany

The August Horch Museum is yet another must see attraction for automotive enthusiasts vacationing in Germany. This particular museum focuses upon the rich automotive manufacturing history of Zwickau, Germany.

Audi, DKW, Trabant, and Volkswagen vehicles were all once manufactured within close proximity to the Museum itself, with all of which now being displayed on site.

On any given day, the August Horch Museum is home to approximately 160 large exhibits, along with many other smaller displays, within its 6,500 square-meter showcases. Visitors are literally walked through every successive generation of Zwickau automotive production, concluding with exhibits representing some of the most technically superior vehicles of today.

6. Autostadt

Location: Wolfsburg, Germany

The Autostadt is about as unique and intriguing as one could hope for an automotive museum to be, and promises to be an experience to remember for all who visit. Inside the Autostadt complex, visitors are treated to a near endless array of exhibits highlighting the finest in German automotive engineering.

The Autostadt complex itself is broken up into separate brand-specific subsections, known as “pavilions”. Individual pavilions are showcase for Volkswagen, Audi, Lamborghini, and Bentley brands, among others.

The Autostadt is also known for its theme-park-esque atmosphere, providing much to be enjoyed for visitors of all ages. For adults, several automotive test tracks are available for use.

Not to be overlooked, children are also provided the opportunity to drive electric-powered miniature Volkswagen Beetles, around a unique track of their own. The complex is also home to several word-class eateries.

Read Also – 4 Little-Known Car Museums in California Worth a Visit

• Author
• Recent Posts

Josh Boyd

Josh has worked as a full-time mechanic for over 12 years, with 6 ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certifications under his belt. He began his career as an automotive technician at local Toyota dealership and has since transitioned to specializing in diesel trucks and equipment.

Latest posts by Josh Boyd (see all)

• 6 Epic Car Museums in Germany That Every Car Enthusiast Needs to Visit - Jan 22, 2024
• How Long Is a Car? (Average Lengths By Size Class) - Jan 10, 2024
• 8 Types of Tire Damage (Is It Harmless or a Huge Red Flag?) - Jan 1, 2024