Anyone who enjoys looking at historic vehicles has a wide choice of car and classic car museums in Germany. In addition to exhibition houses of well-known brands, there are also private collections open to the public. Polished sheet metal and gleaming chrome. It smells of leather and tire rubber. As soon as you enter a car museum, the special ambiance casts a spell over visitors. Dream cars, small cars, racing cars, and prototypes provide a good overview of the development of technology. In addition to private collections such as these, there are museums maintained by the manufacturers themselves. However, if you want to think outside the box and experience a broader range of brands, you will find what you are looking for in private museums. Here are 16 important car museums in Germany briefly:
NSU, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer - in this museum you can find out just how diverse the historical roots of the Audi brand are. Also on display are many Audi vehicles and racing cars from the past and present.
From the first BMW R32 engine to the current electric car: cars and motorcycles from 100 years of the brand's history form the focus, 120 exhibits in total.
From Benz Patent Motor Car Number 1 from 1886 to current super sports cars: a broad spectrum is offered on 16,500 square meters with 1500 vehicles.
From the first 356 to the first 911, historic racing cars and new e-models: Porsche vehicles from the past 75 years are on display.
Beetle, Bulli, Golf, Passat: among the 130 or so exhibits spread over around 5000 square meters are well-known models as well as prototypes.
The collection is the largest exhibition of historic vehicles in Germany. 2500 exhibits, including micro-mobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, and trucks, provide an overview of the development of individual mobility.
More than 260 vehicles from over 60 brands document the history of the automobile. The Zeithaus is located on the grounds of the Autostadt in Wolfsburg.
Around 200 Opel vehicles and exhibits from 1946 to the 1990s are on display - soon to be presented on an area of 6500 square meters.
From the Horch with an eight-cylinder engine from 1937 to vehicles from the 1970s - 90 years of German automotive history are illustrated with over 150 cars, motorcycles, and vans.
From motorized carriages and cars from the 1920s to classics from the 1950s and 1980s, milestones of German automotive history are also collected here.
The private collection near Karlsruhe is a colorful assortment of around 140 cars, 170 motorcycles, and two-wheelers as well as tractors and fire engines. Also on display: almost forgotten brands such as Münch and Maico.
Every car era is highlighted, with a focus on vehicles from the 1930s to the economic miracle. Exotic brands such as Iso Rivolta and Bizzarrini are also represented, as are agricultural machinery, tractors, and steam engines. The oldest vehicle is a French Panhard & Levassor from 1897.
From cork substitute producer to car manufacturer, the history of the Japanese manufacturer Mazda is documented.
75 models from the past 50 years are parked in a former tennis hall on the grounds of Toyota Germany. This makes it one of the largest Toyota collections outside Japan.
With 150 exhibits, the museum provides an overview of automotive technology from the past 120 years. 20 "Le Mans" racing cars currently illustrate the history of the famous endurance race in a special exhibition.
The focus is on sports cars and Formula 1 speedsters, US cars, and Maybach models; motorcycles, commercial vehicles, airplanes, ships, and locomotives are also on display.
