My wife and I are taking a "European vacation" this Summer, to Austria and then through Germany. The Austria portion is to visit a very dear friend, a long time friend of my wife.
The Germany part is partially for me, as I suggested possibly passing through Stuttgart towards the end of our trip and visiting the factory Porsche museum! She thought that would be a great idea (gott'a love her!!)!

After further 'net research it appears the museum is undergoing restoration (or building of a whole new museum?) and supposed to be open by this Summer. Very little additional info she's been able to find about the opening date.

So to the 914 "brethren" in those parts - any "indside" info on the status of the Porsche museum and in particular when it is planned to open? Any light you can shed on the museum status?

We also plan to visit the MB museum as well - and as many beer gardens as we can for out short stay!!! Also, if there are any other "must see" automotive exhibits (or tour-friendly race car shops?) in the city I'm open to suggestions.

As for 914 content - any historic or just plain cool 914s in the P-museum we should be on the lookout for? I'll definitely have the camera fully charged!

Jeff

I was there in September 2006 and they were just breaking ground on the new Museum. They said that the new one woudl e able to display the entire collection, some 300+ cars, whereas the one attached to the factory holds maybe 20. I would not be surprised if the new museum is open this summer.

Assuming you go to the old museum, do not be lookign to spend hours there, it is really small, maybe the size of a small gymnasium. The cars are rotated regularly. they have a small gift shop in the back (look for FREE posters) and also have a "DESIGN" store out the back door to the left. Check both out since you can get "Factory Only" goodies and sometimes overstock items. I bought my son a really neat LeMans Fleece Jacket that is emboidered for like $35 among other things...

As for getting there, it's easier said then done. What is about a 3 hour drive from Munich took us 5 as we got turned around (and that is easy once you get close to Stuttgart)... Make sure you have good directions and you watch the exit signs to get off on the right one.

The new Museum is on a roundabout as you go towards the factory entrance, the old museum entrance is at the gates to the factory. As you come down the road, you will see the factory and the glass "catwalk" that connects them with brand new unfinished 911 unibodies moving across it. VERY COOL...

Call/email ahead (ie: NOW!!!) and request a factory tour. The contact there is: Sigrid Mauz (sigrid.mauz@porsche.de) or +49 (711) 911-25384.

If you are in need of some special parts, you can check with Klaus Bischof (klaus.bischof@porsche.de) or +49 (711) 911-25087. He handles the Classic cars/parts at the factory.

I woudl also check out the following if you are going to be there for a few days:

1. MB Museum (Close to the Porsche Factory)
2. BMW Museum in Munich (At the "Four Cylinders" building)
3. Dachau Prison Camp (Tough, but worth the visit)
4. Schloss Neuschwanstein (Cinderella's Castle)
5. Schloss Linderhof (Royal Palace with interesting grounds/grotto)

You can do the Porsche and MB museums in one day. The two castles in another day (great drive down into Austria, mountains and mountain lakes too) and then easily do the BMW Museum and Dachau in another, all with lots of time to spare and see other things.

I've been traveling to Germany now for the past 11 years and would be happy to share my thoughts on any of this with you. Just PM me...

Good Luck and I will try to post a few pictures if the site decides to stay up long enough to handle the upload...

Yes the Porsche museum is still the small one, but worth the visit., and the new one won't open this year...
Mercedes museum is a MUST SEE !

North from Stuttgart you have the incredible "technik museum" in Sinsheim. (Cars trains planes ... )
very large and worth the visit. http://www.technik-museum.de/uk/sinsheim/

If you have time, you can travel 3 hours more direction France. In Mulhouse you have one of the worlds largest car museum.
It displays the largest collection of Bugattis ( and other cars too ). http://www.collection-schlumpf.com/en/schlumpf/

In the same town you have an superb train museum http://www.citedutrain.com/en/train/

Btw on the way from Stuttgart to Mulhouse you have Strasbourg (superb city)
http://photoenligne2.free.fr/BasRhin2/Stra...Strasbourg.html

and the Haut Konigsburg ( Medival castle )

I will echo... MB Museum is what I was hoping the Porsche museum would be. The Porsche museum is... well, a hallway with about 20 cars in it.

By all means go... What is there is way cool. I got to see the Good Dr.'s 914-8.

I believe you can take a factory tour as well. To tell you how long ago it was when I last went; they had factory tours closed to vail the top secret Boxster launch.

Whatever you do, enjoy the scenery. That part of the world in Summer is simply breathtaking.

in the Porsche museum
the keys to the cars are in their gloveboxes.

Take lotsa bucks. At the rate the dollar's falling, you'll need a wheelbarrow full to buy a beer ........................... The Cap'n

Do not miss the MB museum. Has to be one of the best ever. Very well done and I saw it in '91 with a group of unruly 6th graders. I you want to see a walled city go to Rohtenburg, it was one of our favorites and not too far from Stuttgart.

I would bet that if you called ahead and made an apointment, they woudl probably take you back behind the scense and show you most any car you wanted to see. The openness they showed when I was there to give me names, numbers and email makes me think that...

This is a representation of what you will see when you go...

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--Jason

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I don't know about the NEW museum, but at the prev one you just get there early, pay, and spend lots of time oogling the Pcars ! The factory tours are usually reserved way in advance, and are for groups (like PCA) and such. I did hook up with a local buddy there (now works in Ludwigsburg office) that took me up AmTazzlewurm Strasse somewhere in Zuffenhausen. The late Dr. Porsche was walking his dog (near his crib) with a friend when we cruised up there...very cool.
Marty

Hey, if you're going from Austria towards Stuttgart, you should try to get to Gmund, to see the Helmut Pfeifhofer Museum. It's in the shed where the Gmund Coupes were built... I have some interior shots, but not scanned... I'll try to find the slides and post them.

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Thanks to everyone who's put in their recommendatios!
We are taking a train from Austria - directly to Stuttgart, and spending 2 nights there. We'll basically be either walking, or using their subway system to get around in the city. Still working out the timeline, but we'll only be spending about 1-1/2 days in Stuttgart. Then getting a car and heading West over towards the Mosel river and spending our last few days in Cochem. From there we'll be doing whatever castle/river tours we'll be takling in for the German part of the trip.
Jeff