Museum of airship travel and art in Friedrichshafen's harbor station – with a walk-through partial replica of the Hindenburg right on Lake Constance.
May 22, 2026 – April 4, 2027
For its 30th anniversary in the harbor station, the museum examines comprehensively for the first time how zeppelins were used politically by the Nazi state – also taking a look at its own history.
The museum's roots go back to the 19th century: the Verein für Geschichte des Bodensees und seiner Umgebung (Society for the History of Lake Constance and Its Surroundings), founded in 1868, put its collections on public display from 1869. The former museum building was completely destroyed in bombing raids during World War II; from 1948 onward, work began on rebuilding the collection.
Since 1996 the museum has been housed in the former harbor station, a striking white building in the New Objectivity style from the early 1930s, right on the lakeside promenade. Great importance was placed on accessibility during the conversion; the exhibition design was by HG Merz. The museum is operated by Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen GmbH, and its main sponsor is the city's Zeppelin-Stiftung (Zeppelin Foundation).
The concept combines technology and art: on more than 4,000 square meters, the museum shows what it describes as the world's largest collection on the history and technology of airship travel, including a 33-meter walk-through partial reconstruction of the LZ 129 Hindenburg. The art department ranges from Gothic sculpture through the Baroque to classical modernism with works by Otto Dix, and for some years it has been presented in light of provenance research.
In 2026 the museum celebrates 30 years in the harbor station and, to mark the occasion, is examining the entanglement of Zeppelin airship travel with the Nazi state in a major special exhibition. Silvia Rückert has directed the museum since December 2025; the institution also includes the Schauhaus in the Zeppelindorf as a branch site.
| Adults | €14.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €9.50People with severe disabilities, school students, university students and unemployed people with proof |
| Children & teens | €8free up to age 5 · Children and teens aged 6 to 16; children under 6 free |
| Seniors | €13.50 |
| Visitors with disabilities | €9.50companion free · Reduced admission with ID; companion free if noted in the severe disability ID (Schwerbehindertenausweis) |
| Students & apprentices | €9.50 |
| Groups (10+ people) | €13.50 per personSchool groups €4.50 (up to age 16) or €5.50 (age 17 and over) per person; accompanying teachers free. Guided tours extra, from €85 (weekdays, in German). |
| Families | €33Family ticket |
| Taster price from 16:00 | €9Reduced €6 |
| Annual pass | €40 |
| Combination ticket Zeppelin Museum + Dornier Museum | €25.50Seniors €23.50, families €58, groups €23 per person; valid for 7 days |
| Combination ticket Zeppelin Museum + Schulmuseum | €17Children (6–16) €8.50, families €41, groups €16 per person; valid for 7 days |
| Combination ticket Zeppelin Museum + Schauhaus | €15Adults aged 17 and over |
| Schauhaus in the Zeppelindorf | €5Children up to 16 free; with the Echt Bodensee Card €4.50 |
€1 discount with, among others, the Deutschland-Ticket, a bwtarif ticket, the Echt Bodensee Card and the Friedrichshafen/Tettnang guest cards; €2 discount with the Artcard or a catamaran ticket (adults); 10% with the Vorarlberger Vorteilskarte. Free admission with, among others, the Bodensee Card Plus and ICOM or Museumsbund IDs. Discounts cannot be combined. Card payment accepted; no cash payment in Swiss francs (CHF).
Level entrance with automatic doors; all exhibition rooms reachable by elevator or ramp, and some display cases allow wheelchair users to roll underneath. Loan wheelchairs, a rollator, walking sticks and folding stools at the ticket desk. Accessible restroom on the first floor (Euroschlüssel key at the ticket desk). Three accessible parking spaces on the east side. Inclusive tours (Simple Language, German Sign Language/DGS, for blind and visually impaired people, for people with dementia); ZeppGuide with audio descriptions and a DGS tour. Assistance dogs allowed (identification vests available to borrow).
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 2 hrs |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
| Family ticket | €33 · Family ticket |
Museum suitcase for children from age 5 at the ticket desk, family tours (April–October on Fridays), and children's birthday parties for 6- to 10-year-olds. Strollers are allowed; handcarts and bike trailers are not; baby changing room next to the lockers.
Friedrichshafen Hafen · 100 m
Friedrichshafen Hafen station (with elevator) directly at the museum; Friedrichshafen Hafenbahnhof bus stop (approx. 200 m); catamaran and BSB ships at the harbor
Paid parking
No visitor parking of its own; paid parking garages and lots in the city center, nearest are the Altstadt parking garage and the Hinterer Hafen parking lot. Three accessible parking spaces on the east side of the building.
TressBrüder BIO museum restaurant on the second floor with a lake-view terrace, also accessible without museum admission. No coat check, but lockers in the entrance hall (bags, backpacks, and umbrellas must be locked away).
No information on venue rental on the museum website; the museum restaurant (TressBrüder) offers its own event and wedding packages.
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, EN, FR) |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography and filming for private purposes without flash or tripod are allowed; not for works marked with a VG Bild-Kunst notice, and different rules may apply in temporary exhibitions. |
| Good to know | Free ZeppGuide (app) with audio tours in German, English, French, Simple Language and German Sign Language (DGS). Public Sunday tours without registration; book group and private tours at least three weeks in advance via anmeldung@zeppelin-museum.de. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for a complete visit. Eating and drinking are not allowed in the exhibition rooms. |
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