3 Best Sights in Munich, Germany

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.

Munich serves as the headquarters for the famous BMW car company. The circular tower of its museum in the Olympiapark is one of the defining icons of Munich's modern cityscape. It contains not only a dazzling collection of BMWs old and new but also items and exhibitions relating to the company's social history and its technical developments. 

Among the most famous artists who made their home here was the composer Carl Orff, author of numerous works inspired by medieval material, including the famous Carmina Burana. His life and work—notably the pedagogical Schulwerk instruments—are exhibited in this small museum.