World-famous museums, extraordinary exhibitions, wonderful excursions and unique experiences. The Bavarian capital Munich has a lot to offer for culture fans. A few suggestions for culture fans!
- Sights & Museums
- Museum line
- Schloss Nymphenburg (Nymphenburg Palace)
- Evening programme
- Excursions in and around Munich
- Shopping
Get to know the art city of Munich on a guided tour, learn more about the famous museums in the Kunstareal or take one of our four tours of Munich's museums and galleries.
On a tour of the Old Town, you can visit Marienplatz (square) with its famous Glockenspiel (carillion), the popular Viktualienmarkt (market), the Frauenkirche (cathedral) and Odeonsplatz (square), among others.
Only a few minutes away from Marienplatz is the MUCA - Museum of Urban and Contemporary Art, the first museum for street art in Germany.
You should also plan a visit to the Residenz (city palace) the former seat of the Wittelsbach rulers and one of the most important spatial art museums in Europe.
Very close to the Residenz is the Kunsthalle München der Hypo-Kulturstiftung (art gallery) in the Fünf Höfe (shopping mall). Four large exhibitions a year are shown on over 1200 square metres. The spectrum ranges from prehistory and early history to the present.
Alternatively, it is worth visiting the free permanent exhibition Münchner Kaiserburg in the late Gothic vault of the Alter Hof (Old Court). Experience the city's history from its beginnings to the end of the Kingdom of Bavaria in a multimedia presentation.
Especially the numerous galleries of contemporary art or newer galleries and art spaces offer many opportunities for art fans.
A city tour takes you conveniently past Munich's many sights. Either individually with an official guide from the city of Munich or with a Hop-on Hop-off Express Circle Tour. For the Hop-on Hop-off tour, we recommend getting off at the Kunstareal (art quarter). Today, a total of 18 museums and exhibition halls, over 40 galleries, six universities and numerous cultural institutions are grouped together in the Kunstareal.
Quite individually, you can visit many museums at your own pace with bus 100, which connects over 20 museums from the main station to Ostbahnhof and is called the Museumslinie (museum line):
At the Königsplatz (square) stop, it is worth visiting the world's largest collection of the artists' group Blauer Reiter in the Lenbachhaus (art gallery). Königsplatz also offers a piece of antiquity in the middle of Munich with the Propyläen (Propylaea) and the Staatliche Antikensammlungen (State Collection of Classical Antiquities). Fans of ancient art will go into raptures here.
Just 2 stops further on at the Pinakotheken stop are the three Pinakotheken (art galleries), the Brandhorst Museum and, within walking distance, the Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst (State Museum of Egyptian Art) and the NS- Dokumentationszentrum (Munich Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism):
The Alte Pinakothek is located in a building by Leo von Klenze. The classicist building from 1836 was groundbreaking for European museum architecture. Milestones of European painting from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance and Baroque are gathered in this museum.
The Neue Pinakothek is closed to the public until probably 2029 for extensive renovation work. During this time, a selection of masterpieces of 19th century art will be on display on the ground floor of the Alte Pinakothek (east wing) and in the Schack Collection.
The Pinakothek der Moderne houses the New Collection – Design Museum, Modern Art Collection, the Architecture Museum and the Graphic Arts Collection.
The Brandhorst Museum, already architecturally fascinating with its colourful façade consisting of 36,000 ceramic rods, offers contemporary art.
The Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst takes you on a journey into the world of the pharaohs and impressively shows the art and culture of ancient Egypt.
The NS-Dokumentationszentrum is only a few minutes' walk away and deals with Munich's National Socialist past in a very modern and varied exhibition.
At the Odeonsplatz (square) stop of the museum line, you can visit the beautiful Theatinerkirche (church). Afterwards, the Hofgarten (court garden) invites you to take a relaxing stroll.
The Haus der Kunst is located directly on the Englischer Garten (park) and is one of the leading international exhibition houses for contemporary art. Only a few minutes' walk away is the famous Eisbachwelle (river wave). Here surfers from all over the world show their skills. Before continuing, don't miss the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, where the treasures of the Wittelsbach dynasty are impressively displayed.
The Friedensengel (angel of peace) stands high on the banks of the Isar river and watches over the city. Sunsets here are a special experience.
The villa of the painter Franz von Stuck on Prinzregentenstrasse is one of the most important artists' houses in Europe.
If you want to walk along Maria-Theresia-Strasse through the Maximiliansanlagen in the direction of the Maximilianeum, you will come across the King Ludwig II Monument, erected in 1967, a few minutes later.
Shortly before you reach Ostbahnhof, you can admire the Prinzregententheater (theatre) on Prinzregentenplatz.
The palace complex with its magnificent park is one of the largest baroque complexes in Germany. Around the main palace there are several other destinations worth seeing, such as:
- the park castles Amalienburg, Pagodenburg and Badenburg
- Marstallmuseum (Museum of Carriages and Sleighs)
- Porzellanmanufaktur Nymphenburg (Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory)
- Botanischer Garten München-Nymphenburg (Munich Botanical Garden)
Tip: In fine weather, a ride in an original Venetian gondola on the palace canal is an unforgettable experience.
The Bayerische Staatsoper (Bavarian State Opera) is one of the most renowned opera houses in the world.
You can experience that Broadway feeling when you visit a musical at the Deutsches Theater.
The multi-award-winning Münchner Kammerspiele in Maximilianstrasse promises an entertaining evening.
Numerous operas, operettas, musicals and ballet performances are on the programme at the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz.
The Werksviertel Mittel, a creative district near the Ostbahnhof, presents a colourful mix of art and culture.
Take the S6 towards Tutzing (exit Starnberg) to visit Starnberger See (lake) and plan a boat trip to the Buchheim Museum in Bernried. The museum offers an excellent collection of German Expressionist paintings.
On Herreninsel in Chiemsee (lake), King Ludwig II created a second Versailles for himself from 1878. Schloss Herrenchiemsee (palace) is the last and most magnificent building of the fairytale king. If you would like to make this excursion on your own, take the train from Munich main station to Prien am Chiemsee. The journey takes about an hour. From the station you walk about 20 minutes to the landing stage. Alternatively, you can take the Chiemsee-Bahn, a steam tram dating back to 1887, for this approximately 1.8 km long journey. From the Prien landing stage, the Chiemsee boat trip will take you to Herreninsel in just under 15 minutes.
Experience the castles of the Bavarian fairytale king Ludwig II during a day trip to the surrounding area of Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Linderhof (castles).
If you would like to dedicate this day to the Blaue Reiter, you can go to Kochel am See. Members of the Blaue Reiter such as Gabriele Münter, Franz Marc, Alexej von Jawlensky or Wassily Kandinsky lived around Kochel am See and Murnau in the foothills of the Alps and were fascinated by the landscape. Franz Marc called the idyllic landscape around Kochel his „Blue Country“. Discover the art walk flexibly and individually with the free audio guide app „Franz Marc Kunstspaziergang“. The app works offline and is available free of charge in the App and Play stores.
Mountains, lakes and art: we show you six of the most interesting museums of Blue Rider and Expressionist art in the Munich area.
In the Gärtnerplatz- and Glockenbachviertel (districts) you can experience a shopping spree away from the big chains and department stores. In the backyards there are sometimes hidden studios where you can look directly over the shoulder of the artists. Unique works made of metal, ceramics, felt or leather are produced here with great attention to detail.
You will find an extraordinary shopping ambience in the shopping arcades and quarters with hanging gardens and noble architecture.
