Munchner Stadtmuseum (City Museum of Munich), Munich

The Munich City Museum, known as the "Münchner Stadtmuseum," was established in 1888 by Ernst von Destouches. It is housed in a substantial complex spanning 2400 square meters, which includes the former municipal arsenal built in 1500 and the adjacent stables, reconstructed after World War II and originally from the late Gothic era. The museum covers Munich's history from Schwabing Bohème to the present, including the 1972 Olympics.

One of the permanent exhibitions, titled "Typically Munich!," showcases around 400 objects dedicated to the popular arts and traditions of the region, addressing questions like what characterizes Munich, when these characteristics emerged, and most importantly, why.

Within the Culture History section, among the numerous artworks, you'll encounter the renowned Gothic Morris dancers crafted by Erasmus Grasser for the festival hall of the Old Town Hall, as well as the original puttos from Mary's Column. A standout highlight here is a wooden model depicting Munich as it appeared in 1572.

The Fotomuseum, established in 1963, displays a collection of contemporary photographs exceeding 500,000 in number, contributed by various artists such as Katharina Gaenssler and Franz Wanner. The Music collection boasts an extensive array of over 2,000 musical instruments from Africa, America, Asia, and Europe.

Additionally, the museum houses a Puppet Theatre collection and one dedicated to National Socialism in Munich, recounting the city's history as the former capital of the Nazi Movement, known as the "Hauptstadt der Bewegung."

The on-site Museum of Film, with its extensive archive, hosts weekly screenings and is renowned for its restoration work on old movies, including works by Fritz Lang, Ernst Lubitsch, Georg Wilhelm Pabst, and Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau.