Deutsches Museum

Current exhibitions

About the museum

The idea for the Deutsches Museum goes back to electrical engineer Oskar von Miller, who in 1903, at a meeting of the Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (Association of German Engineers) in Munich, initiated the founding of a museum of masterpieces of science and technology. As early as 1906, a temporary exhibition in the old Bayerisches Nationalmuseum displayed the first objects, while the actual museum building was going up on a gravel island in the Isar River.

The collection building, designed by Gabriel von Seidl, opened on May 7, 1925, the founder's 70th birthday. Remarkably, it was built of reinforced concrete, a cutting-edge material at the time that was meant to be part of the museum's technological message. During World War II, air raids destroyed large parts of the building; many exhibits had been moved to safety beforehand, so the museum was able to resume operations after reconstruction.

From the 1990s onward, the institution grew beyond Munich: the main collection was joined by the Flugwerft Schleißheim, the Deutsches Museum Bonn, the Verkehrszentrum (transport center) on the Theresienhöhe, and in 2021 a museum of the future in Nuremberg. The museum is a public-law institution and, as a research museum, a member of the Leibniz Association.

Since 2015 the main building has been renovated and its content redesigned as part of a major initiative for the future. In July 2022 the first construction phase opened with 19 newly conceived permanent exhibitions, including aeronautics and space, robotics, health, and musical instruments. The second phase is still underway; until it is completed, a glass building at the Corneliusbrücke serves as the entrance.

Highlights

• Aviation hall with a Junkers Ju 52 and a Messerschmitt Me 262
• Space exhibition with Spacelab and Max Valier's rocket car
• Foucault pendulum
• Large collection of historical musical instruments
• Kinderreich, a hands-on area for ages 3 to 8
• Roof terrace with views over the Isar and the city

Permanent exhibitions

• Raumfahrt – From early rocket propulsion to Spacelab, the exhibition tells the history of space travel. An atmosphere elevator simulates the ascent into space.
• Historische Luftfahrt – Around 16 aircraft from the first half of the 20th century, including the Junkers F13 and the Ju 52, document the pioneering era of flight.
• Musikinstrumente – The exhibition traces the development of musical instruments from the Renaissance to electronic sound generation.

Founded

1903

Operated by

Deutsches Museum (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts, Mitglied der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft)

Director

Michael Decker (Generaldirektor seit 1. Juni 2025)

Visitors per year

approx. 1,690,588

Admission & discounts

Prices valid since January 28, 2026. Annual pass for the three Munich sites (Museumsinsel, Verkehrszentrum, Flugwerft Schleißheim) €50 (reduced €25). Many guided tours and demonstrations are included in admission; special exhibitions are included as well. Free admission for, among others, members, ICOM members, and teachers preparing lessons.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description

Step-free access to the new exhibitions via ramps, elevators, and platform lifts. Loaner wheelchairs, rollators, and stools free of charge. Two accessible parking spaces approx. 200 m from the entrance. Tactile floor guidance lines in the entrance, tactile models, and Braille labels. Induction systems at selected ticket counters and theaters; mobile induction system for guided tours. Many media stations with German Sign Language (DGS) videos; audio descriptions and 100 exhibits "Einfach erklärt" (explained simply) in the app.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area
• Kids’ birthday parties

Kinderreich is a dedicated hands-on area for ages 3 to 8 (marble run, shadow theater, water play); strollers are not allowed there and can be parked on level 0. Family and children's tour in the museum app from age 6; family tours and demonstrations are mostly included in admission. Children under 12 only with adults. Baby changing and nursing rooms on every level; picnic areas for food you bring along. Children's birthday parties: a party in the Kinderreich discovery lab (ages 3–8) or a children's tour (ages 8–12, approx. 90 min.).

Getting there & parking

Arriving by public transport is recommended. The main entrance is due to move to the museum courtyard from 2028.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

Roof terrace restaurant "Frau im Mond" (level 2, also accessible without a ticket), Café Exponat by the museum shop, cafés in the auditorium (level 0) and in the aviation hall; picnic area with vending machines on level 1. Free coat check (level 1), lockers with €1 deposit.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Up to 600 guests.

Available for rent on the Museumsinsel: the aviation hall (standing reception up to 600 people, 360 seated; events from 17:30) and the auditorium (200 people in theater seating). Suitable for receptions, gala dinners, conferences, award ceremonies, and concerts. Inquiries to the events office: vermietung@deutsches-museum.de, 089 2179-467.

Plan your visit