Things to see in Munich
Attractions
Olympiapark
Ever since the 1972 Olympic Games, the Olympiapark has been one of Munich’s landmarks, with its striking skyline and massive tower - the tallest reinforced-concrete construction in Europe. Today, the park is a major centre for sport and recreation - a veritable green lung just north of the city centre, built on the Olympiaberg (Olympic Hill), which was constructed from wartime rubble. Alongside the arenas are picnic areas, playgrounds, an artificial lake, a mini train and the 291m-high (955ft) Olympiaturm, which grants superb views and houses a small rock ’n’ roll museum. There is also a memorial on nearby Connollystrasse which marks the building where Israeli athletes were held hostage during the 1972 Games with tragic consequences.
Address: Olympiapark, Spiridon-Louis-Ring 21, Munich, 80809 MunichTelephone: (089) 30670.
Opening times:
Daily 24 hours.
Website: http://www.olympiapark.deAdmission Fees:
No (but there's a charge for tower and stadium)
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Residenz (Residence)
The Residenz in Munich dates from 1385, when it originated as a small castle. Successive members of the Wittelsbach dynasty expanded the original 14th-century castle to create a complex of palaces around seven courtyards. The elaborate rooms contain antiques, sculptures, paintings and tapestries amassed by the Wittelsbachs between the 16th and 19th centuries. There are no regular guided tours, although a free audio guide is available in five languages, including English. Other royal treasures are on show in the Schatzkammer (Treasury). The entire Residenz complex, including the rococo Cuvilliés-Theater, was rebuilt and restored after being reduced to rubble during WWII.
Address: Altstadt, Residenzstrasse 1 (entrance at Max-Joseph-Platz 3), Munich, 80333 MunichTelephone: (089) 290 671.
Opening times:
Daily 0900-1800 (Apr-mid-Oct); daily 1000-1700 (mid-Oct-Mar).
Website: http://www.residenz-muenchen.deAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
The Three Pinakotheks
The Three Pinakotheks are Munich’s trio of acclaimed art galleries. The Alte Pinakothek (Old Gallery), constructed in the 19th century, is home to one of the world's oldest and most important collections of paintings by European Old Masters, including Dürer, Raphael, Rembrandt and Rubens. The Neue Pinakothek (New Gallery), located opposite in a modern building, was conceived by Ludwig I, as a showcase for contemporary art. The museum houses European painting and sculpture from the second half of the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century. German paintings from the 19th century form the core of the collection. The third Pinakothek der Moderne (Gallery of Modern Art) is considered among the world's greatest collections of 20th- and 21st-century art, with four major museums under one roof, featuring modern art, applied arts, graphic art and architecture.
Address: Maxvorstadt, Barer Strasse 27-40, Munich, 80333 MunichTelephone: (089) 2380 5216 (Alte Pinakothek) or 5195 (Neue Pinakothek) or 5360 (Pinakothek der Moderne).
Opening times:
Alte Pinakothek: Tue-Sun 1000-1800 (Tue until 2000).
Neue Pinakothek: Wed-Mon 1000-1800 (Wed until 2000).
Pinakothek der Moderne: Tue-Sun 1000-1800 (Thu until 2000).
Website: http://www.pinakothek.deAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Jüdisches Museum (Jewish Museum)
This recently opened museum, near the Stadtmuseum, is dedicated to the long history of Jewish culture in the Bavarian capital, and is located on the site of a pre-war synagogue. It succeeds a much smaller attraction on Maximilianstrasse, and offers three floors of exhibitions, including a special section explaining general Jewish history and religious topics. There are various temporary exhibitions, often relating to topics such as exile to persecution, and each floor also has a dedicated study area for those undertaking serious research.
Address: Altstadt, Sankt-Jakobs-Platz 16, Munich, 80331 MunichTelephone: (089) 2339 6096.
Opening times:
Tue-Sun 1000-1800.
Website: http://www.juedisches-museum-muenchen.deAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
BMW Museum and BMW Welt (BMW World)
The BMW Museum in Munich provides a fascinating account of the iconic Bavarian company's transport technology, through its vintage cars, mementoes and historic film footage. Forming part of the same complex as the museum is the free BMW Welt centre, an airy piece of space-age architecture that exhibits various BMW, Mini and Rolls Royce models. The BMW Plant Munich is also here, where guided tours allow visitors to see the various stages of the production process.
Address: Olympiapark, Am Olympiapark 2, Munich, 80809 MunichTelephone: (089) 1250 16001.
Opening times:
BMW museum: Tues-Sun 1000-1800.
BMW world: Mon-Sun 0900-1800.
Website: http://www.bmw-welt.comAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Bavaria Film Studios
The tour of Germany's ‘Film City', where around 150 hours of cinema and TV films are produced every year, reveals the tricks of the film industry, including the making of films such as Das Boot (1981), Cabaret (1972), Die Unendliche Geschichte, better known as The NeverEnding Story (1984), and Perfume - The Story of a Murderer (2006), with Dustin Hoffman, as well as many German TV series. Included in the full-price ticket is entry to a 4D motion simulation cinema as well as a humorous interactive attraction known as Bullyversum. In peak season, English tours are available at 1300 daily.
Address: Geiselgasteig, Bavariafilmplatz 7, Munich, 82031 MunichTelephone: (089) 6499 2000.
Opening times:
Daily 0900-1800 (mid-Apr-Nov); daily 1000-1700 (Nov-mid-Apr).
Website: http://www.filmstadt.deAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Marienplatz
Marienplatz has been at the heart of Munich since the city's foundation in 1158. For centuries it was known as the Schrannenmarkt (the place where merchants came to buy and sell goods) but was renamed after the Virgin Mary in 1854. The square’s north side is entirely dominated by the neo-gothic Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall), built in the 19th century. Miniature statues of Bavarian rulers adorn the hall's façade, while the 85m (279ft) tower houses a 43 bell glockenspiel with mechanical marionettes. Visitors can ascend the tower by lift. Nearby, other buildings of note include the 15th-century Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) and, just a stone's throw from the square, Frauenkirche cathedral, where an intriguing mark known as the ‘Devil's Footprint' remains embedded in the church floor.
Address: Altstadt, Marienplatz, Munich, 80331 MunichTelephone:
Opening times:
Daily 24 hours.
Website:Admission Fees:
No
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Deutsches Museum (German Museum)
Munich's vast German Museum presents a dauntingly comprehensive survey of science and technology, from prehistoric tools to space-age inventions. Permanent interactive exhibitions are organised around various themes, including aerospace, computers, mining, technical toys and telecommunications. Next door, the Forum am Deutsches Museum (German Museum Forum) houses a planetarium and a 3D cinema. Another branch of the museum, Flugwerft Schleissheim (Schleissheim Aerodrome), located at Germany's oldest aerodrome, Effnerstrasse 18, Oberschleissheim, focuses on aviation history.
Address: River Isar, Museumsinsel 1, Munich, 80538 MunichTelephone: (089) 21791.
Opening times:
Daily 0900-1700.
Website: http://www.deutsches-museum.deAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Englischer Garten (English Garden)
The English Garden is one of the largest urban parks in Europe, and even bigger than New York’s Central Park, and provides an oasis in the heart of busy Munich. Locals and tourists come to stroll, cycle, sunbathe, picnic and even swim in the river. Other attractions include the Seehaus restaurant and the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower), both with great beer gardens, the Japanisches Teehaus (Japanese Teahouse) and the Monopteros, a Greek-style temple. During summer months, there is boating on the Kleinhesseloher (a lake in the centre of the park) and open-air concerts and theatre at the scenic Amphitheater.
Address: Englischer Garten, , Munich, 80538 MunichTelephone: (089) 3866 6390.
Opening times:
Daily 24 hours.
Website:Admission Fees:
No
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Münchner Stadtmuseum (City Museum)
For a true taste of Munich’s eclectic personality, head to the City Museum. The diverse collections, which include musical instruments, marionettes, weaponry, photography and fairground rides, give a considered overview of the city’s different cultural and social strands. Local history is thoroughly documented, with special focus on periods such as the National Socialism era and the Cold War years in which Munich acted as West Germany’s “secret capital”. A permanent collection entitled ‘Typisch München!’ (‘Typically Munich!'), showcases a 400-strong assortment of items that leads visitors through the various periods of the city’s story.
Address: Altstadt, Sankt-Jakobs-Platz 1, Munich, 80331 MunichTelephone: (089) 2332 2370.
Opening times:
Tue-Sun 1000-1800.
Website: http://www.muenchner-stadtmuseum.deAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Schloss Nymphenburg (Nymphenburg Palace)
Located on the western edge of the city, the Nymphenburg Palace was built between the 17th and 19th centuries to serve as a summer residence for Bavarian royalty. Highlights within the main palace include the late-rococo Steinerner Saal (Hall of Stone) and the Gallery of Beauties - a collection of portraits of beautiful women commissioned by Ludwig I. The extensive grounds conceal four miniature palaces, one of which, the Amalienburg, is considered the most attractive rococo palace in Germany. The Nymphenburg complex also includes the Marstallmuseum, which houses royal coaches and riding equipment, as well as an historic collection of Nymphenburg porcelain, with exhibits from 1747 until the 1920s.
Address: Neuhausen-Nymphenburg, Schloss Nymphenburg, Munich, 80638 MunichTelephone: (089) 179 080.
Opening times:
Daily 0900-1800 (Apr-mid-Oct); daily 1000-1600 (mid-Oct-Mar).
Website: http://www.schloss-nymphenburg.deAdmission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: No
Tourist Offices
Munich Tourist Office
Address: , Marienplatz 8, Munich, 80331 MunichTelephone: (089) 2339 6500.
Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0930-1930, Sat 0900-1600, Sun 1000-1400.
Website: http://www.muenchen.de/int/en/tourismThere is also a second tourist office at Central Train Station, Bahnhofplatz 2.
Tourist passes
The Munich CityTourCard (www.citytourcard-muenchen.com) (available online, from customer service centres or from ticket machines at rail, S-Bahn, tram and U-Bahn stations) entitles the holder to unlimited travel on MVV transport, as well as discounts on more than 70 attractions in Munich and its surrounds. Cards are available for one, three or four days, for either central Munich or the wider surrounding area. Cards for families or small groups (up to five adults) are also available (note: two children aged between 6 and 14 count as one adult).
