Long Night of Museums

More than 40,000 people spent Saturday night out around Munich, participating in the annual Long Night of Museums. More than 90 of the city’s museums and galleries stayed open until 2 am, and a 15 euro ticket got you into any museum you liked as well as transportation around town. Of the more popular venues, were the Pinakothek (new, old, and Modern), as well as the Deutsches technical museum. Some of the smaller favorites (certainly our picks) included Lenbach Haus and Villa Stuck, the early 20th century mansions that testify to the city’s role as home of the avant garde in painting. Lenbach Haus just introduced a special exhibit highlighting the work of Kandinsky, and at times the line to enter was a block long. And for those, who wanted a slightly different take on Museums, they drove directly to the BMW World and Museum, which blared techno music into the early hours of the morning. Oddly enough, one museum that becomes a cultural favorite on the Long Night, is the Paleontology Museum (pictured here) for its dramatic lighting, its three floor atrium, and its party atmosphere. For those who want to take their time and enjoy the artwork, you may be better off on a different day, but because Munich museums generally close by 6 pm – for many this is your only chance to see the cultural treasures around town.