2020. Corona. Travelling is a different game. Yet our Fernweh acted up too often. So we arranged a train trip to Germany and Austria. Specifically to Leipzig in Saxony, several spots in Bavaria and returning home with ÖBB‘s Nightjet from Innsbruck in Tyrol to Brussels in Belgium.

We stayed four nights in Munich. Our first activity was the BMW Museum and BMW Welt. ‘Welt‘ is German for ‘world’. Even BMW mixes up those two brand names but Welt is some huge fancy garage with the BMW Group brands, including Mini and Rolls-Royce. BMW Museum is… the museum. 

I was giddy as a schoolboy. I always loved cars and I always wanted to at least drive a BMW. One of the late 80s or 90s perhaps. Although the current models are pretty nifty as well. 

The BMW Museum is located near the Olympiapark. The museum was established in 1973, shortly after the Summer Olympics opened. 

From 2004 to 2008, it was renovated in connection with the construction of the BMW Welt, directly opposite. The museum reopened on 21 June 2008. At the moment the exhibition space is 5,000 square metres for the presentation of about 120 exhibits. 

Is it any good?

What I liked about the museum is the design, the large collection and the comprehensive tour. Every aspect of making BMW’s is covered: the early days, the wars, the brand, design, racing, Formula 1 but also marketing. 

But it’s also a bit too much propaganda. Texts are bilingual but the shade of grey used for English is often hard to read. 

Yet, as a design and or car fan, go.