Germany's car museums: a treat for the boys
If there's a man in your life who loves cars, why not treat him to a trip to Germany? Here you can discover first-hand the country's long automobile industry tradition.
The Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Vokswagen's Autostadt in Wolfsburg, BMW World, the Auto and Technik Museum... a visit to any of these factory-museums around Germany will be a real treat for car-lovers, although some of the buildings are also renowned for architectural reasons. Unsurprisingly, given the country's engineering prowess and long automotive history, the list of thematic museums in Germany that explore the history and the world of the motor vehicle is impressive. It's a tempting choice for a family vacation to get the men and the boys interested, whether its the valuable collections, the oldest manufacturers, the vintage cars or the state-of-the-art technology that most catches their fancy. Here we've chosen some photos to get you geared up:
The car tower at Volkswagen's Autostadt, Wolfsburg, is just one example of legendary German engineering
The
Volkswagen Autostadt is a vast theme-park style complex based around people and cars, complete with museum and activities designed for the whole family
The vintage cars on display at the Maybach Museum were some of the most luxurious vehicles of their time
Munich's BMW World is organised thematically, rather than chronologically
Today, only 160 Maybach vehicles exist across the planet. Sixteen of them are on display at the Maybach museum, together with motors, gears and other parts
The museum in Neumarkt also includes an exhibition of Express bicycles which were made in the former factory where the Maybach museum is now located
The automotive industry is an important part of Germany's history and there are a number of interesting museums around the country
The
Mercedes Benz Museum, Stuttgart, is a purpose-built model of barrier-free architecture which provides excellent access for visitors in wheelchairs
The Sinsheim
Auto and Technik Museum has thousands of exhibits displayed in an indoor area of over 30,000 square metres, plus extensive open-air grounds
The story of Germany's smallest independent auto manufacturer – and the world's most profitable – can be discovered at the
Porsche Museum in Stuttgart.
BMW World, Munich presents more than 90 years of BMW heritage in all its facets
There are 1,500 exhibits on show at the Mercedes Benz Museum in Stuttgart
Bertha Benz, wife of the inventor Karl Benz, made the first long-distance journey by motor vehicle from Mannheim to Pforzheim (about 106 miles) with her children in 1888
