Beer and Oktoberfest Museum

Housed in the oldest town house in Munich, the Beer and Oktoberfest Museum features permanent exhibitions on topics ranging from the history of beer to the Bavarian monks’ purity laws and the unique quality of Munich’s beer. As for the story of Oktoberfest, on the upper floor of the museum you’ll learn about its beginnings as a national festival for the 1810 wedding of King Luis to Princess Teresa, right through to today’s celebration — it’s the largest beer festival in the world attended by some 6 million people every year. 
You’ll see photos and illustrations, exhibits of brewery and beer-related memorabilia, including original beer mugs from the early years of Oktoberfest. A 12-minute documentary on the evolution of Bavarian beer-making also plays in the small cinema. And as you make your way round the exhibits, check out the building’s original wooden beam and restored murals — they date all the way back to 1340. The kitchen with its open fire is a nice touch, too, and there’s also an onsite pub on the ground floor, which serves plenty of wurst to go with the Augustiner beer. 

Practical Info

Close to Marienplatz, Munich’s main square, on Sterneckstrasse 2, the Beer and Oktoberfest Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 1 to 6pm. Entry costs €4. The pub is open from 6pm to midnight Tuesday to Saturday.