BMW Welt & BMW Museum — Munich, Summer 2026

At the foot of BMW's famous "four-cylinder" headquarters tower in Munich sit two of the city's most-visited attractions. BMW Welt is a swooping steel-and-glass showroom, event space and new-car delivery centre — free to enter, and as much a piece of architecture as a car dealership, its double-cone facade and cloud-like roof a landmark in its own right. Across a footbridge, the bowl-shaped BMW Museum tells the story of the company from aero-engines and motorcycles to the cars that made its name.

What to see

The museum threads visitors through interconnected "houses" and themed exhibits displaying around 125 of the most significant vehicles BMW has built. Highlights include the elegant pre-war roadsters, the trend-setting 1970s BMW 2002 and the first 3 Series, the mid-engined M1 supercar, Art Cars painted by the likes of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, and a hall of gleaming motorcycles. A dramatic multimedia installation of suspended, kinetic metal balls mapping a car's silhouette is a favourite. Over in BMW Welt, current models, M cars and electric i models can be sat in and admired, with a premium lounge upstairs where buyers collect their new cars on a turntable stage.

Know before you go

BMW Welt is free and open daily; the neighbouring museum charges admission and closes on Mondays. Together they easily fill two to three hours, more for a genuine enthusiast. The site is right by the Olympiapark and its tower, reachable directly on the U3 to Olympiazentrum, so a visit pairs naturally with the 1972 Olympic grounds. Note that museum tickets are card- or app-payment only; cash is not accepted.