Up until the time we reached Munich we had a very busy vacation. When we got to Munich though we let ourselves slow down a little as we had 10 days to spend there staying with my wife's Sister's family. We had a few days of family time and some light site seeing which I will definitely cover soon. But I was at least still in a new place and there were a few things I wanted to see and do. It was Dzigbordi's second trip to Munich so she had seen much of the city already.
Munich is the headquarters of BMW. I am kind of a gearhead and more partial to VW or Porsche but still into all things cars so BMW was on my list of things to do. It turns out there are a couple of different BMW experiences. There is the BMW World, BMW Museum, and the BMW Factory. The factory would have been a cool experience and probably something that I will do in the future but since we were with my baby and children was not allowed we decided to forgo that one for now.
We were not staying too far from the facilities and we could have walked but we were going to have a full day of walking so we saved our legs a little bit and took a quick subway ride there. After coming out from underground the first building in front of us was BMW Welt. This is a free museum showcasing the BMW family of cars. This touring race car was the first thing we saw when we entered the museum.
BMW also owns Rolls Royce so there were a number of these high-end cars on display. Since we were with the kid we kept things moving along I really did not read much on each exhibit just took in everything with my eyes.
This structure connects to the BMW Welt and is a conference space but quite interesting in design. It was also incorporated into the footbridge across the busy road that was between BMW Welt and the BMW Museum.
Here is a view of the BMW headquarters and the museum which was the dome-shaped object to the right.
I don't know if it was the door we chose or what but usually you exit through the gift show we end up entering through it. But his was one of the first displays we saw before entering the museum and even paying. A nice touch of vintage.
I asked my assistant GPT to give a short history of BMW. I was surprised to learn that they started out by making aircraft engines and then motorcycles rather than cars.
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) has a rich history rooted in Munich, Germany. Here's a brief overview:
- Foundation: BMW was established in 1916, originally as an aircraft engine manufacturer named "Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG." The company's headquarters were located in Munich.
- Transition to Automobiles: After World War I, BMW shifted its focus from aircraft engines to motorcycles and eventually automobiles. In 1928, BMW acquired the Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach, which produced automobiles and thus began its foray into the automotive industry.
- World War II: During World War II, BMW's Munich facilities were heavily involved in producing aircraft engines for the German military, including the famous BMW 801 radial engine used in aircraft like the Focke-Wulf Fw 190.
- Post-War Era: Following the war, BMW faced challenges as Germany was in a state of rebuilding. However, the company managed to survive by producing motorcycles and, eventually, automobiles. The BMW headquarters in Munich became a focal point for the company's post-war recovery and expansion.
- Growth and Innovation: Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, BMW established itself as a leading luxury car manufacturer known for its engineering excellence and performance-oriented vehicles. The company's headquarters in Munich served as a center for research, development, and innovation.
- Expansion and Modernization: Over the years, BMW expanded its operations globally while maintaining its headquarters in Munich. The company continued to invest in cutting-edge technology and design, further solidifying its reputation as a top-tier automotive brand.
- Recent Developments: In recent decades, BMW has focused on sustainability and electric mobility, launching electric and hybrid vehicles under its "BMW i" sub-brand. Munich remains integral to BMW's operations, housing key facilities such as its research and development center and its iconic "BMW Welt" (BMW World) exhibition and delivery center.
Throughout its history, BMW's presence in Munich has been synonymous with innovation, engineering prowess, and automotive excellence, making it a symbol of German engineering and craftsmanship.
Before entering the museum I needed to put my backpack in a locker. The locker room was a floor below which was accessed by this spiraling ramp with these two cars at the bottom.
The museum is kind of a walk-through time. Here is one of the early motorcycles. I like the hand gear lever and the chrome intake pipes and exhaust pipes. Interestingly it was also a shaft-driven bike.
Here is an old one with a very distinctive grill and leather straps for the bonnet. Can you imagine cruising this thing around?
Here is a 4 banger beauty with a huge turbo. I like the straight pipe and the smaller wastegate exhaust.
More and more engines and more details but I kept a good pace going because this was not my wife's cup of tea at all and we had a 7-month-old that would get tired of this at any moment.
Another walk-through time of the 3 Series saloon car.
One said that the museum had a multi-story wall of motorbikes that was probably about 4 or 5 stories and transitioned through to each floor.
There was a whole room dedicated to these touring racing beauties. They look fast standing still.
Here is a new EV model broken down into its bits hanging from the ceiling making it easy to look up the skirt and see everything that is going on.
This was the last car at the exit of the main museum exhibition. I have always loved these old European roadsters with the long hoods and bodies.
The cars seen above earlier are now head-on.
There was a bonus exhibition going on dedicated to motorbikes. I am not a huge bike person but I have always loved the looks of BMW motorbikes, especially the dual-sport or enduro bikes. They have an aggressive look but still lotsofo refinement in the farings and mudguards.
Here is a classic adventure machine, I can only imagine where it has gone and what it has seen along the way.
There were some very futuristic bikes like the one that I put as the first image on this post and this one. The one at the top of the post reminds me of Tron. I don't know how comfortable this one would be to even sit on. I don't see an exhaust to it might be electric. It looks fast though.
An M Badge bike I bet this thing really screams.
This thing is vintage and cool. It has a unique look and was probably way ahead of its time back in the day.
Another vintage bike this one a little different from the other in that it was not in Museum nic at all. The paint was worn away and chipped everywhere. But made it look different and interesting.
And some bikes for the fat boys who need something loud, definitely not my favorite but something for everyone, even the accountant weekend road warriors.
After exiting we let Bjorn do some funny poses of his with the Olympic needle in the background.
We crossed back over the road and to where we started there was a sausage truck there I wanted to try, we got some and some beer and sat in the park nearby and enjoyed.
Before long we needed to pick up my wife's nieces at school so we walked through the Olympic park to their school and then back home again.
Nothing like a cold German beer to wash the day down. I went out with my brother-in-law to a local pub and we tried a few different beers. I think this was a Wheat beer.