Great Munich activities

Englischer Garten (English Garden)

You can recharge your batteries with a stroll through Munich's huge urban park. Most paths lead to the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower), With seats for over 7,000 people, it is a classic Bavarian Beer Garden with traditional beer and food. Be sure to take a peek at the Eisbach, (Ice Stream) located at the beginning of the garden. Most of the time, you'll catch surfers riding a permanent wave, sometimes even in winter (brrrrrr).    

BMW WELT (BMW World)

Even if you don't love fine cars, this place is a hoot. The building is one of the most beautiful examples of modern architecture in Europe and it's all right next to the 1972 Olympic Park. Open: 7:00am to Midnight Closed: Dec. 24-26th and Jan 1st & 2nd

BMW Plant Tours

The plant tour is like a Disney ride of robotics. You can reserve up to 6 months in advance and space is very limited. The height of the summer tourist season and during Oktoberfest are particularly difficult times to secure reservations. Reservations only by phone: 049-89-1250-16001 English Tours M-F: 11:30am

BMW Museum

Open: 10:00am to 5:30pm Closed Mondays Closed: Dec. 24-26th and Jan 1st & 2nd  

The Deutsches Museum

For the Science Geek in All of Us

This Leviathan takes up a whole island in the Isar River near downtown Munich. For fastidious Germans it takes a week to see all the displays, American engineers usually give it most of a day and I'm so impatient, I do the whole joint in about three hours. http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/information/  

Alte Pinakothek

For Art Lovers

King Ludwig I had the entire museum built around a room to hang massive works by Peter Paul Rubens that will blow your socks off. http://www.pinakothek.de/en/node/698

Neue Pinakothek

Impressionist and more of the 19th Century. http://www.pinakothek.de/en/node/730

Pinakothek Der Moderne

My favorite museum in town... paintings, cars, furniture and so much more from the 20th Century. http://www.pinakothek.de/en/node/760

Galerie im Lenbachaus und Kunstbau

When the term "modern art" referred to works of the 20th Century. This fine museum houses an impressive collection including Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc's paintings which some consider the birth of modern art. The long-awaited pre-war remodeling of the italianesque exterior is completed and the famous building is a wonder to see. http://www.lenbachhaus.de/cms/index.php?L=1

Brandhorst Museum

Not for the faint of heart, this is a modern museum with a capital "M". The building is a wonder of colors. http://www.museum-brandhorst.de/en/

Haus Der Kunst

The palace to Hitler's architecture and fascist art, I'll save this one for my Third Reich Tours.

The Bier Und Oktoberfest Museum

Home Brewers and beer lovers delight! Here, you'll be introduced to all things beer including Wilhelm V, a popular Wittelsbach duke who commanded the Hofbräuhaus be built and incorporated the first food purity laws in Europe. The museum is in the oldest townhouse in Munich dating from the 1300's. It is located down a narrow alleyway and it is a bit hard to find. It's near the Isartor City Gate off the street named "Tal". By the way, it's not a bad idea to sample some beer while you're there. http://www.bier-und-oktoberfestmuseum.de/en