Münchner Stadtmuseum

Steps away from Asam Church is the Münchner Stadtmuseum. The scale of this museum is only really evident from the air. The extensive building is comprised of two spacious interior courtyards, framed by four unusually diverse buildings. The oldest of them, the historic armory building, created in 1500, faces St.-Jakobs-Platz. The collections annex, which was designed by Gustav Gsaenger at the end of the 1950s, extends to Rindermarkt; the medieval royal stables – reconstructed in 1977 – reach as far as Sebastiansplatz.

Both in terms of its size and the extent of its collections, it is Germany’s largest municipal museum. It consists of 4 separate collections. The collection is Typically Munich!  contains more than 400 exhibits that chart how the city of Munich began to forge an identity of its own – relatively late in its history, following its seven-hundredth anniversary in 1858 and chronicle the cultural upheavals around 1900, the city’s role during the National Socialist period, and its renaissance as West Germany’s secret capital during the country’s economic miracle.

The exhibition of National Socialism in Munich presents Munich as the launchpad for the National Socialist movement and the home of Party headquarters. Further themes include the city’s art and festivals, and the way they were harnessed to make the Nazi regime more attractive to the public, and the city’s role as a media location and a venue for arms manufacturing.

The Puppet Theater and Fairground Attractions permanent exhibition can be found on the third floor of the Münchner Stadtmuseum. In an area extending over 20,000 square feet presents the history of puppetry since the 19th century. An adjacent room displays items from fairgrounds and funfairs revolving around the twin focuses of  Popular Entertainment  and  The Munich Oktoberfest. Finally the Municipal Musical Instrument Collection exhibits more than 2000 musical instruments from Europe, Africa, Asia & America giving the visitors on guided tours among others the opportunity to play the glistening bronze gongs and metallophones.