The Stadtmuseum: A piece of Oktoberfest all-year round

An exhibition for anyone who misses Oktoberfest

Sadly, Oktoberfest only takes place once a year. The Stadtmuseum is the perfect destination for visitors to Munich who arrive outside of Oktoberfest season, and for anyone who sorely misses Munich’s most wonderful time of year.

The hearts of Oktoberfest fans will soar on the third floor.

A visit to the Stadtmuseum in Munich is always worthwhile. On St. Jakob’s Square in the heart of the city, you can visit a wealth of events, special and permanent exhibitions, including the permanent exhibition ‘Puppentheater/Schaustellerei’ [puppet theater/showmanship]. Fans of Oktoberfest will get their money’s worth on the third floor. Here, you can view wonderful historical exhibits in relation to the Munich Oktoberfest. ‘Schichtl’ is a particular highlight. Since 1869, in this curious, historical theater more than 25 visitors to Oktoberfest have lost their heads daily. And as you would expect from real ‘public entertainment à la by-gone days’, this gruesome spectacle is accentuated by all manner of joking and funny sayings. The guillotine used to make visitors a foot shorter can also be admired at the Stadtmuseum in Munich.

Gallery: The highlights of the Oktoberfest

O'zapft is! Here the tapping takes place on the first Wiesn-Saturday

Great fun watching in front of the Toboggan

No Wiesn without a gingerbread heart! The classic souvenir

View from the Bavaria over the Wiesn at night

The Wiesn is twice as much fun together and in traditional costume

Mugs with freshly tapped Wiesnbier, friendly served

Typical folk festival atmosphere in the Paulaner tent

Aim and shoot!

Oktoberfest’s shooting galleries are a major attraction year after year. Young guys who hope to shoot a rose or more for their beloved, fathers who want to delight their offspring with an extra-large teddy bear — shooting galleries promise to be a hoot for everyone. At the Stadtmuseum in Munich, you can admire a true original. Also featured in the exhibition collection: carousel figures, in addition to accompanying animals and cars. The old carousel horses and cars from every corner of the world are sure to make you really nostalgic. If that’s not enough for you, you can also gaze at fun ring toss booths, barrel organs and wonderful performer paintings. The spectacular, eye-catching King Kong statue, which once adorned one of the Oktoberfest fairground rides, is by no means apish.

The Stadtmuseum in Munich and the ‘Oide Wiesn’

When the ‘Oide Wiesn’ takes place at Theresienwiese, Munich’s Stadtmuseum goes on the move. Together with Munich’s Schaustellerstiftung association of performers, employees from an historical society of Bavarian performers [Historische Gesellschaft Bayerischer Schausteller] organize and plan the program for the museum’s tent. Entrance is free and you can admire a piece of Oktoberfest history through historical collector’s items. Real treasures come together here such as the swing boats from 1925 or the caravan that belonged to a performer family from Munich dating back to 1905. After Oktoberfest, these unique exhibition items are returned to the museum depot, where they are spruced up and maintained by employees to ensure they are presented in top condition at their next festival.

The Stadtmuseum: not only a brilliant destination for Oktoberfest fans

Even if you’re not (yet) a fan of Oktoberfest, a visit to the museum is always worthwhile. A mighty collection of magnificent exhibition pieces, and photos and films that do not have any connection to the world’s largest folk festival can also be found on the expansive grounds. The Stadtmuseum in Munich is Germany’s largest urban museum. Anyone who already likes Munich and wants to learn to love it should spend a few hours in the permanent exhibition ‘Typisch München!’ [typical Munich]. More than 400 objects demonstrate the history, character and inhabitants of this cosmopolitan city with heart.

Important: Non-updated information on this page refers to Oktoberfest 2019. There was no Oktoberfest in 2020, neither was in 2021 due to the Corona pandemic.