The Mercedes-Benz Museum
Daimler is the world's oldest automobile manufacturer, with a history that goes all the way back to the 19th century. In the Mercedes-Benz Museum you can experience the over 135-year-old history of the automobile and the history of the Mercedes-Benz brand from Day One to the present.
To reach the origins of the automobile, you have to go right to the top. The exhibition in the Mercedes-Benz Museum starts on the ninth floor. From here, visitors make their way in wide curves down two circular routes through automotive history – from 1886 up to the present day. The Mercedes-Benz Museum, which opened in 2006, is Stuttgart's most visited museum, with about 800,000 (in 2023) visitors annually. The futuristic architecture was designed by the UNStudio van Berkel & Bos, Amsterdam. The building is modelled on the double helix of a DNA spiral. In its interior, on an area of 16,500 m², 160 vehicles and over 1,500 exhibits in all are on display.
The exhibition is divided into "Legend" and "Collection" rooms. The seven Legend Rooms tell the story of the Mercedes-Benz brand, subdivided into themes and eras. They illustrate the history of the automobile and the birth of the Mercedes brand up to the present day. The "Legend" rooms are linked by ramps which outline the history of the company within the context of world history. The five Collection Rooms show the diversity of the brand portfolio over the years. Exhibits include the Popemobile, Princess Diana's red SL, the "Grand Mercedes" Type 770 owned by the Emperor Hirohito and the bus used by the 1974 German national men's football team. Both the Legend and the Collection tour lead to the exhibition section "Silver Arrows – Races and Records".
In a large banked curve, legendary record-winning cars are on show: the Phoenix racing car, the "Blitzen-Benz" and Silver Arrows, including Nico Rosberg's F1 World Championship winner from the year 2016. The permanent exhibition is augmented by the "Fascination Technology" section, which gives insights into current themes and the complex processes involved in vehicle production. 150 works by 90 international and national artists from 20 countries are mostly integrated into the permanent exhibition of the Mercedes-Benz Museum.
Audio guides provide additional information in the following languages: German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese and Russian.
Since the autumn of 2020 two mascots – Carlchen and Carlotta – have joined the museum as popular attractions and indentification figures.
Carlotta's appearance was inspired by the museum architecture; she's accompanied by the car mascot, Carlchen.
In "Bertha's Restaurant", the museum restaurant, visitors can round off their circular tour with regional specialities and international cuisine.
Some more tips: The Mercedes-Benz Museum is in the direct vicinity of the Mercedes-Benz Arena and the Cannstatter Wasen fairground, where the Stuttgart Spring Festival and the Stuttgart Beer Festival are held each year.
Visitors exploring the city with the Stuttgart Citytour can get off and on the bus at the Museum. And with the Stuttgart Wine Tour, which leaves from the Museum, they can visit the nearby vineyards with the Hop on/Hop off system.
Additional information under: www.mercedes-benz.com/en/art-and-culture/museum
