Munich - the Museums

Two months after our visit to Munich, the landmark that stood out in my memory was the BMW Museum.  It was architecturally stunning, both inside and outside, as were the contents.  Just a short train ride from the city centre, it was well-worth a trip and in fact we visited on our first day in Munich to take advantage of the day pass included with the train ticket from the airport.

The Museum Quarter offered up many museums - the three we visited - Alte, Neue and Moderne Pinakothek, covered the range of European Art through the ages.  But the Alte was under renovation and we were only limited to what was available on one floor of the museum, in spite of which, the 12 euros for the package of three museums was still a good deal.  The one I enjoyed most was the Neue Pinakothek, the building seemed to have been built to showcase the art rather than the other way round - as was the case with the Moderne.  But the staff told us the Neue is due for renovation in 2018!

The Deutsches Museum, supposedly "the world's largest Science and Technology Museum" was disappointing - most of it was closed for renovation and a good part of the collection was not available.  I was so looking forward to the war planes exhibit but there were only a few prewar planes on display.  However, an exhibit on Light provided good photo ops...

I enjoyed the visit to the Residenz Museum, the palatial residence of the once ruling Wittelsbach family, because of the spectacular banquet and reception halls and the challenge they posed to my photography skills with the constant stream of visitors.  After the initial spectacle of the meeting rooms though, the rest of the Residenz rooms were anti-climatic and we walked through quickly.

BMW Museum

BMW Museum - the other entrance

Inside the museum, the architectural feats continue

Elvis Presley's BMW 507 when he was a GI in Germany

The Olympic Village - like similar villages in other countries, always struck me as relics that try to pretend they are still alive...

Inside the Alte Pinakothek - a ridiculously long staircase, built to impress?  Fun to photograph though...

Henry Moore outside the Alte Pinakothek Museum

My favourite of the trio - the postmodern Neue Pinakothek built in 1981, due for renovation again next year

The "Moderne" - the Museum of Modern Art - a lot of building!  My favourite was the design floor...

The atrium ceiling of the Moderne

Wall of Audis on the design floor

The Isar River alongside the Deutsches Museum

Light exhibit inside the Deutsches Museum;  old plane by Rumpler

The stunning Antiquarium, banquet hall in the Residenz Museum

The Shell Grotto, covered completely in Bavarian freshwater shells, including mother-of-pearls (A random note of thanks to Rick Steves for pointing out the well-disguised washroom near here, behind a door marked OO, for whatever reason!)

Memories of Versailles...

And place settings that stretched and glowed into the dark night...