100 million visitors and 30,000 dachshunds
Museums in Germany have plenty to offer: a look at rankings, records and unusual highlights
How many museums are there in Germany?
Germany is a country of museums: in 2023, the Institute for Museum Research counted 6,781 museums and a further 497 exhibition venues. And they attract plenty of visitors: museums recorded 100.9 million visits that year.
Which German museum attracts the most visitors?
With an average of around 1.5 million visits a year, the Deutsches Museum is the most frequently visited museum. In its centenary year of 2025, almost 1.7 million people visited the Deutsches Museum sites in Munich, Bonn, Oberschleissheim and Nuremberg – more than ever before. The Deutsches Museum in Munich is one of the world’s leading science and technology museums. Its collection comprises more than 125,000 objects.
Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg attracted a similar number of visitors. With 16,491 metres of track, it is home to the world’s largest model railway.
Which German city has the most museums?
Berlin has more than 170 museums, followed by Munich with 80. One of Berlin’s most important cultural attractions is Museum Island, which comprises five museums at a UNESCO World Heritage Site: Altes Museum, Neues Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie, Bode-Museum and Pergamonmuseum.
What unusual animal museums are there in Germany?
The world’s largest pig museum – yes, pigs! – opened in Stuttgart in 1988/89. Its 27 themed rooms display more than 50,000 pig-related exhibits from around the world, featuring pigs as symbols of good luck, film stars, artistic subjects and part of everyday culture.
The world’s first dachshund museum – in Regensburg – has a collection of 30,000 items. Exhibits include nodding dachshunds, porcelain figurines, toys and memorabilia relating to “Waldi”, the dachshund mascot of the 1972 Olympic Games. Dogs are welcome to accompany their owners around the exhibition.
