Deutsches Museum becomes fit for the future
The Deutsches Museum in Munich is one of the largest science and technology museums in the world. It has been undergoing renovation since 2015. Now the first phase of the renovation work has been completed and the museum will be offering visitors their first glimpses.
The Deutsches Museum was founded in 1903 and has been renovated and expanded ever since. A renovation, the revision of old and the conception of new permanent exhibitions had become urgently necessary. Refurbishment work has been underway since 2015, and on July 8, the completely renovated part of the Deutsches Museum will finally be opened.
What's new?
The section on modern aviation from 1945 onwards features a flight simulator. A new approach is the critical classification of areas such as historical aviation from 1918 to 1945, where the three-engine Junkers Ju 52, known as "Tante Ju," from the 1930s has been reinstalled.
In robotics, humanoid creatures made of metal and many wires await you. You can even make contact with some of them, such as little Nao, who beeps in Bavarian for a greeting.
Then there is the model train department, which is patterned after the railroad junction near Gemünden am Main (Main-Spessart district), or departments such as energy, engines, optics or space travel.
The atomic physics section not only reveals what tiny particles are all about. The aim is also to provide food for thought on the risks of nuclear power, for example, says department head Christian Sicka. In the early 1950s, people were still unbiased about this, as the "Atomic Energy Lab" from the USA proves. An atomic energy lab for the children's room.
As before, visitors can press buttons, experiment, watch films and follow demonstrations at many points in the museum.
At media stations you can deepen the wealth of information. These are also equipped with Braille for the blind and speakers for listening. The entire house is designed to be barrier-free. In addition, there is a digital guide as an app you can use on your phone or on rental devices, which will soon also be available in languages such as English, French, Italian and Chinese.
A restaurant with a roof terrace offers the opportunity to relax from an interesting marathon through science and technology the Deutsches Museam hast to offer.
The completion of the first stage of renovation will be celebrated this weekend. Starting at noon on Friday, the new exhibitions in the museum will be open to all visitors. Because a maximum of 3,500 people are allowed in the building at the same time, tickets are only available for fixed time slots. A three-day festival will be held outside. Admission there is free.
Meanwhile, preparations are already beginning for the renovation of the other part of the museum. Until June 28, the exhibitions there were still on display, including the famous mine and the popular lightning shows. All work is to be completed and the museum completely renovated in time for the museum's 125th anniversary in 2028. The current cost: 750 million euros. Some of these costs are covered by the museum's own funds and donations, while the rest has been provided by the federal and state governments to make the museum fit for the future.
Image Max-k muc, Wikipedia, Creative Commons License
