The Transport Museum – Munich

I think I “over-volunteered” for things in Copenhagen.  Saying yes to everything when we first arrived, purely because I felt I should if I wasn’t working.   So this move I decided not to put my hand up for anything initially, and have so far enjoyed a relatively lazy few months in comparison.   No more rushing about for things I didn’t really believe in, and working hard for no money and little thanks…   Instead, just hours and hours of suiting myself and getting to know our new environment at a leisurely pace!

But that particular “wanting to help” itch is obviously beginning to resurface, and I recently found myself saying yes when a note went around asking for parents to accompany children to a school trip to The Transport Museum, which is actually a part of the fabulous Deutsches Museum – albeit in a different location…

When the day came, I discovered I was to be in sole charge of a small group of children, my Seven Year old included.  To someone paranoid enough about misplacing her own children, the added responsibility of quite a few more belonging to other people was daunting, but it was fine… It was almost like shepherding a group of (very small) elderly ladies around the place.  They were far too busy bickering over who knew what, and who had the best lunch to venture too far from me.    They were also determined to see everything, and get their work done before a rival group (consisting mostly of boys I noticed), so they took the trip very seriously!   The only time I thought I might have a riot on my hands was when a row erupted over whose turn it was to use the pencil sharpener, and a particularly exhausting conflab about whether we were actually allowed to sit where I suggested for lunch.  Obviously not having teacher status made a lot of my suggestions debatable!   But they were mostly very well behaved, and made me feel slightly guilty about some of the antics I got up to on school trips (albeit at a slightly more advanced age…).

The Transport Museum is stretched over three large halls.  It’s big, but definitely do-able in around 2-3 hours.  Starting off in the First Hall we travelled back in time to inspect many original forms of public transport in Munich, and the up to date versions we see today.  There are lots of things to clamber on and off in here, and various things that the “ladies” all enjoyed “driving”…  Don’t miss the pneumatic tube system here too, which was actually great fun when we finally worked out how to use it…

The Second Hall (and perhaps the most impressive) is the Locomotive Hall.   The beautiful green steam train inspired lots of Harry Potter-esque conversations, and plenty of imagined journeys to Hogwarts from the carriages at the back…   If it floats your boat, there’s also a little replica static steam train here, and demonstrations take place regularly!  This particular hall also contains a sizeable replica funicular train, and a few beautiful and rather elderly cars (not however prehistoric as one of my group suggested!).  It also houses a 1950’s section, home to a rather spectacular bright pink “Penelope Pitstop” style moped – the best exhibit of the entire place apparently!…

We then tackled the Third Hall, where most of the two-wheeled forms of transport live.  This was perhaps the favourite with the entire group – for me because it’s also where the cafe is, and for them because it features a slide stretching from one floor to the other!   Having completed their work at this point, my charges decided they could afford to let their hair down a little and indulge themselves, whilst I was placed under strict instructions to guard several pairs of shoes…

My only real complaint about this Museum would be that there isn’t really a designated area for school groups to have lunch, and we ended up having an “illegal” (according to the “ladies”) picnic in the “play area” at the back of the Third Hall…   Anyway, they all seemed to enjoy their time here, and I enjoyed handing them back safely at the end of the day!!

A good place to take the transport fan in your family.    If like me, you aren’t usually overly interested in such things, I would recommend taking a book and relaxing in the cafe whilst they have a good look around!  If the sun’s out, you could do worse than enjoy the huge outdoor space at the front of the museum while you wait, and admire this lovely specimen I featured as a “Sunday Photo” not that long ago”…