Explore the history of Porsche.

Visitors to the city of Stuttgart, Germany are spoilt when it comes to car museum choices. Stuttgart is home to two of the biggest sports and luxury carmakers in the world and both have compelling museums. Mercedes and Porsche are the two rival car brands and both have brilliant museum experiences for petrol heads visiting Stuttgart.

The Mercedes Museum is a rather new location for tourists and locals to view. The Porsche Museum, on the other hand, has been open since 1976, showcasing just how prestigious and revered the German carmaker has been since its inception.

In 2009, after over 30 years of the original museum being open, the company unveiled a completely upgraded and expanded gallery with new exhibits and displays for visitors to explore.

Porsche Museum - The 911 defines the sports car. Here, you'll find plenty of 911 eye candy and more.

The Museum

The museum has about 80 cars on display at any one time. Of course, exhibits are rotated bringing what has been called a “living museum” to life. There are around 3,000 images, drawings, and other documents for guests to view. The museum has permanent sound and video installations adding to the great exhibits for visitors to explore on a visit.

Did you know?

Porsche was founded in 1931, yet it wasn’t until the 1950s that a logo was created for the car brand. Dr. Ferry Porsche created the logo in a New York City restaurant sketching it on a napkin. The emblem is the Stuttgart coat of arms combined with the Wurtemburg coat of arms and the name Porsche written over the top.

Museum Activities

Visitors should be sure to see the Porsche Holographic Design Tour, which is a hologram of Porsche Designer Matthias Kulla, who explains the classic design features and styles of Porsche. Visitors will see the hologram presentation while a real-life Porsche 911 is used as an example right in front of them. The holographic tour is just one of the cool exhibits that make the museum a must see.

Of course, guests can learn about Porche’s celebrated history that dates back to the 1930s. Temporary exhibits include; 50 Years of the Porsche 917 – Colors of Speed and 50 Years of Porsche 914 – Typically Porsche. These exhibits are short-term but since the museum does rotate displays, they could return.

Don’t miss

- The rotating exhibits as there is always something new to see

- A factory tour that can be combined with a visit to the museum

- The chance to rent a Porsche and drive it on the open road

Porsche is one of the most iconic sports car brands in the world, and its museum excels at teaching visitors about its great history. Stuttgart is flush with car museums from two great automakers, and Porsche’s entrant shouldn’t be skipped over.

FAQs

Does Porsche have a museum in the United States?

Porsche does not have a museum in the United States. However, there are two Porsche Experience Centers in the United State (Atlanta and California) and a racing school at the Barber Museum in Birmingham, Georgia. Each offers a wealth of information about the brand, including displays of iconic Porsche cars.

How much does it cost to visit the Porsche Museum?

Current prices are available on the official website.

Is the Porsche Museum or Mercedes Museum better?

It's difficult to judge which museum is better. The Mercedes Museum is housed in an impressive contemporary building with over 160 vehicles and numerous other displays in a 16,500 square-meter facility. The Porsche one is also housed in a beautiful contemporary building, but the argument could be made that it's not as impressive as the Mercedes building. Porsche has over 80 cars and other relevant displays in its 5,600 square meter facility. Clearly, there's more to see at the Mercedes Museum, but Mercedes manufactures a large range of vehicles, while Porsche only builds sports cars and SUVs. Consequently, we'll call it a tie.