Geologisches Museum München

About the museum

Alongside the Paläontologisches Museum, the Geologisches Museum is the second publicly accessible part of the Bavarian State Collection of Paleontology and Geology (Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie). It belongs to the Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns (SNSB) and took its present form in 2000, when the paleontological state collection, in existence since 1843, and the geological state collection were merged into a single institution.

The exhibition is located in the building of the Institute of General and Applied Geology of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität on Luisenstraße in the Kunstareal (art district). From the outside, there is hardly any sign of the museum; inside, a passageway connects the rooms directly with the neighboring Paläontologisches Museum on Richard-Wagner-Straße.

In around 450 square meters, the permanent exhibition explains how the Earth's crust forms and changes: the deposition of sediments, the folding of mountains, volcanism, and plate tectonics. One focus is the formation of the Alps and deposits of raw materials and fossil fuels. Guided by the idea of a journey through Bavaria's geological history, visitors can take rock samples out of drawers and examine them themselves. A wall display covers current events such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, supplemented by changing thematic presentations.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition “Erdkruste im Wandel” (The Changing Earth's Crust) on mountain building, volcanism, and plate tectonics
• Journey through Bavaria's rock history with drawers to explore yourself
• Raw materials and fossil fuels (“Bodenschätze der Erde”)
• Direct passage to the Paläontologisches Museum
• Free admission

Permanent exhibitions

• Erdkruste im Wandel – Explains how sediments, mountains, and volcanoes form and how plate tectonics continually reshapes the Earth's surface.
• Bayerns steinige Geschichte – A journey through millions of years of Bavarian geological history; rock samples in drawers invite visitors to examine them for themselves.
• Bodenschätze der Erde – Shows how mineral raw materials and fossil fuels are formed through geological processes.

Operated by

Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns (SNSB)

Director

Alexander Nützel

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission; only educational programs are subject to a fee.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

According to Kunstareal/muenchen.de: access via a ramp in the inner courtyard to the left of the main entrance, elevator available, wheelchair-accessible restroom in the basement. Advance notice recommended.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

Earth science courses and tours, mainly for groups of children and teens; a children's quiz on the current exhibition with a small prize; drawers let visitors examine rocks themselves. According to muenchen.de, a rock course for children ages 5 to 8 takes place on the first Sunday of the month at 13:00.

Getting there & parking

About a 10-minute walk from the main train station (S-Bahn, long-distance trains).

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit