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Munich is a wealthy city—and it shows. At times this affluence may come across as conservatism. But what makes Munich so unique is that it's a new city superimposed on the old. The hip neighborhoods that make up the City Center (Innenstadt) are replete with traditional locales, and flashy materialism thrives together with a love of the outdoors.
Aircraft, vehicles, cutting-edge technology, and historic machinery fill the seven levels of this monumental building on an island in the Isar River, home to one of the biggest science and technology museums in the world. There are some 270,000 square feet and 28 exhibits to explore. Highlights include exhibitions on nanotechnology, biotechnology, and robotics, as well as a vast collection of astronomical objects, from vintage telescopes to sundials. Children have their own “kingdom,” the Kinderreich, where they can learn about modern technology and science through numerous interactive displays (parents must accompany their children). One of the most technically advanced planetariums in Europe has two to four shows daily, depending on the day, albeit in German only. Two affiliated offsite museums are the Verkehrszentrum (Center for Transportation), on the former trade fair grounds at the Theresienhöhe, and the Flugwerft Schleissheim, an airfield and hangar packed with historical aircraft in Oberschleissheim, north of Munich.
Overlooking the Theresienwiese, home of the Oktoberfest, is a 19th-century hall of fame (Ruhmeshalle) featuring busts of famous Bavarian scientists, artists, engineers, generals, and philosophers, and a monumental bronze statue of the maiden Bavaria. Unsurprisingly, it was commissioned by the art- and architecture-obsessed King Ludwig I, though not finished before his abdication in 1848. The Bavaria is more than 60 feet high and at the time was the largest bronze figure since antiquity. The statue is hollow, and an initial 48 steps take you up to its base. Once inside, there are 66 steps to her knee, and a further 52 all the way into the braided head, where the reward is a view of Munich through Bavaria's eyes.
The train station isn't a cultural site, but it's a particularly handy starting point for exploring. The city tourist office here has maps and helpful information on events around town. On the underground level are all sorts of shops that remain open even on Sunday and holidays. There are also a number of places to get a late-night snack in and around the station.
The site of Oktoberfest and the winter Tollwood music festival, the approximately 100-acre grounds are named after Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen, who celebrated her marriage to the future King Ludwig I here in 1810 with thousands of Münchners. The event was so successful that it grew into an international beer and fair-ride bonanza lasting 16 to 18 days and attracting more than 6 million people annually. While Oktoberfest originally began in October, it now starts in September to take advantage of better weather. Note that unless a festival is happening, there's really no reason to visit the grounds, which is little more than an empty field.
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