Leisure Pursuits In Bavaria (Germany):

1. GERMAN MUSEUM:

The Museum of Natural Sciences and Technology in Munich is widely known simply as the German Museum. Apparently, the reason is that it is the world’s largest collection dedicated to natural science and technology. Its exhibits demonstrate the capabilities of more than fifty branches of science. The collection contains about 28 thousand items. Since the goal of the museum is to popularize science, it will be very interesting for children, because the exhibits make specialized knowledge accessible and understandable. Moreover, the presentation of the material is of interest not only to boys, who are often interested in technology, but also to all people who usually do not notice how many objects around them appeared thanks to the development of science. Some of the exhibits of the museum are striking in their size. For example, in the navigation hall there are huge sailing ships.

Looking at them, you can not only learn about the intricacies of maritime affairs, but also see how sailors arranged their lives. You can watch how ships of different shapes sail in a special bath. But much larger than the sailboats is the deadly V-2 rocket: to see it, you have to climb a ladder around it. The hall dedicated to engines demonstrates not only the development of this industry, but also the observation skills of people. Of course, creating an internal combustion engine required serious mental work, but how can you not appreciate the intelligence of ancient people who learned to use the energy of water and wind? Now wind turbines are making a comeback – the modern planet needs “green energy”.  The exhibition “Historical Aviation” shows many original aircraft of all shapes and sizes. On the first level and in the gallery on the mezzanine above it, the focus is on the history of flight in the first half of the 20th century, when aviation was experiencing rapid technical progress. A key theme of the exhibition is how the two world wars influenced the direction of aviation.

Level 1 covers the period of the Weimar Republic, the years from 1933 to the end of World War II, and an overview of aircraft engines. The gallery, on the other hand, is devoted to model and glider flights. Between impressive exhibits including a Junkers F13 and a Messerschmitt Me 262, media stations and hands-on exhibits tell the fascinating story of aviation. Incidentally, here you can finally understand how airplanes fly. A special model shows how the lift of a wing changes when tilted and when turbulence occurs. Equally interesting are exhibits that explain the laws of bridge construction. Countdown, launch, achievement and survival in space: the Astronautics exhibit is arranged in chronological order, corresponding to mankind’s journey into space. An overview of our solar system is followed by information on early rocket technology, the development of rocket engines and manned space flights, including Spacelab. The functions of satellites and probes are then examined, and then remote sensing. Numerous exhibits and models, such as rocket sleds, spacesuits and the Helios probe, as well as media stations and interactive demonstrations, guarantee a truly “universal” experience! The museum has something for everyone.

The math room demonstrates the amazing properties of numbers, the chronology room tells about time measuring devices, from clepsydras to ultra-precise watches. The Materials and Technology room features an exhibition of technical toys, from children’s construction sets to complex mechanisms. Music fans will be enchanted by the collection of instruments, from small harmonicas to huge organs. And incredible adventures await visitors. Rise into the air in a helicopter, meet a fluffy robot kitten, descend into a mine and see how miners work, summon lightning (safe for others) or create a rainbow – no child will refuse this. For children aged 3 to 8, the museum has created the Children’s Kingdom – 1000 entertainments that help to learn the laws of mechanics, optics, acoustics, get acquainted with the world of technology and just have fun playing with light or controlling the river. Since the German Museum is simply enormous in size, it is useful to know that there are two cafes on its territory.

2. RECREATION CENTER OBERSTDORF THERME:

(UNDER RECONSTRUCTION)

When vacationing at the German ski resort of Oberstdorf, be sure to visit the recreation center Oberstdorf Therme, which is located in the heart of the town. This is a complex of outdoor and indoor pools, solariums, alpine-style saunas, steam rooms, aroma baths, areas for children and families. This is the place where you can relax and restore the strength spent on the slopes.

The special pride of the complex is the thermal pool with saline solutions, visiting which has a beneficial effect on the treatment and prevention of many skin diseases, helps with problems with the musculoskeletal system. The recreation center did not forget about the little guests: here they can splash in shallow pools with water heated to 30 degrees, go down water slides, and in the warm season play on a specially equipped playground. Steam lovers will certainly be impressed by the sauna complex with a total area of ​​2000 square meters, built in the Alpine style.

The rustic sauna houses radiate special warmth and a homely, cozy atmosphere. In total, vacationers are offered six types of saunas: an aromatic sauna with lemon extract, a crystal sauna, including one with amethyst crystals, an Alpine, infrared and hay. One of the favorite entertainments in Oberstdorf Therme is a wave pool, where jumping and competing with the artificial water element is pure pleasure for both adults and children. If you are hungry, visit the restaurant with an open summer terrace Alpenstadl.

Here you will be offered a wide selection of fish and meat dishes, soups, salads, various types of pizza, as well as coffee with all kinds of pastries. Next to the restaurant there is a bar where you will find a large selection of drinks. It is worth noting that even if you did not take swimming trunks, bathing suits, bath towels and robes with you on holiday, all these things are available for rent at the center.

3. ASCHENBRENNER PORCELAIN AND DOLLS MUSEUM:

The Aschenbrenner Porcelain and Dolls Museum (Museum Aschenbrenner), which is located in Garmisch, is impossible to ignore, because here on two floors magnificent products made of fine porcelain are displayed, as well as very beautiful dolls. If you do not have the desire or opportunity to leave the ski resort, we recommend visiting it with children in your free time from skiing – here you will find as many as 300 square meters of pleasure! The entrance to Aschenbrenner is stylized as a real compartment of a long-distance train.

Walking through it, guests seem to be transported back in time, immediately getting from the 21st century to past centuries. The museum is located in a modern building, and exhibitions and various cultural events are often held here. On the first floor of the establishment, you can enjoy a collection of incredible porcelain exhibits with classical music. Several centuries ago, porcelain was called “White Gold”. In those days, this thin material was really quite valuable.

The museum collection features a large number of exhibits from such famous masters of the past as JJ Kandler and JP Melchior. The highlight of the porcelain collection is the Meissen pug. You can learn about the history of its origin here. By the way, visitors with children should not think that the museum will greet you with the spirit of prim elegance of the 18th century. Aschenbrenner has a childlike, relaxed atmosphere, so even the youngest visitors feel at home here. The floor, completely dedicated to dolls, is always full of girls of all ages.

Here, young princesses get acquainted with the history of the creation of these amazing and dear to the heart toys, examining the entire evolutionary series of exhibits: from the first simple papier-mâché dolls to modern Barbies with their incredible outfits and accessories. This exposition also displays quite rare examples of toys in original outfits and with designer accessories, made by hand. In total, at least 200 toys “live” on the second doll floor. Aschenbrenner even has its own playground, filled not only with toys but also with books. Here your child can take a break from the abundance of emotions caused by the rich collections of the porcelain and doll museum.

4. RECREATION CENTER ALPSPITZ WELLENBAD:

Any more or less large resort town or village in Germany has its own swimming pool. Garmisch-Partenkirchen is no exception. Alpspitz Wellenbad is a great alternative option for relaxing in the evening or after active skiing. The water center is located in the central part of the resort, halfway between the train station and the ski lifts of the Hausberg ski area. Even if you don’t get your bearings and can’t find the pool right away, every resident of Garmisch will be happy to show you the way to it – the water center is very popular not only among tourists, but also locals.

Water attractions and pools occupy an area of ​​2,200 sq. m. Alpspitz Wellenbad consists of two pools, a regular one and a wave pool, 21 meters wide and 50 meters long. In the second one, the wave mode is turned on once an hour. There is also a diving board and a heated outdoor Jacuzzi. The complex’s little visitors have not been forgotten either. The children’s area includes a shallow “mother and child” play pool, a swimming pool for learning to swim and a playground. For older children, there is a 96-metre water slide and a 9-metre high-speed descent. On the roof, there is a fairly large bath area with different types of saunas and steam rooms, as well as a wellness centre.

5. TIERPARK HELLABRUNN ZOO:

The Munich Zoo was founded on the southern bank of the Isar River more than a hundred years ago. Even then, its creators took care to create conditions for the animals close to their natural habitat. Today, it is the second largest zoo in Europe, occupying an area of ​​39 hectares and home to 18 thousand animals of more than 650 species. The space here is organized in an interesting way: the entire territory is divided into “continents”, each of which is home to its characteristic representatives of the fauna. A trip to the Munich Zoo should definitely be included in children’s excursion routes. Where else can you get up close and personal with animals? No colorful encyclopedia can convey how velvety the fur of a giraffe is, how bats sleep, and how polar bears swim in a pool.

The animals in Hellabrunn live not only in enclosures – poultry walks right along the paths, and a petting zoo has been created for kids. Peaceful goats, sheep, ponies live there, you can feed them, pet them, take pictures with them in an embrace. In addition to the “continents”, there are several more interesting corners in the zoo. One of them is the House of the Jungle. There, among the lush tropical vegetation, monkeys walk around, and in a huge aquarium live exotic fish, jellyfish, crayfish and other representatives of the underwater flora and fauna.

There is also a terrarium with snakes. Another interesting place is “Villa Dracula”. This is a cave inhabited by bats. In the cave gloom live one and a half hundred of these animals of 15 species. It is worth looking into the polar latitudes: to see polar bears, penguins, walruses. By the way, many animals not only pose for the guests of the zoo, but also participate in the show, demonstrating their talents. Elephants invite everyone to do gymnastics with them, sea lions surprise with dexterous tricks, even birds of prey found something to do: for example, a long-eared owl shows how it can hunt. Mongooses are also good, they amaze with their ingenuity in obtaining food. It should be noted that the shows are held only in good weather.

Another sight worthy of attention is the feeding of animals. It is worth checking the feeding schedule in advance so as not to miss what you want to see. It is very interesting to watch penguins crowding around a bucket with treats, waiting for them to get a fish. Perhaps you will also be attracted by the feeding of pelicans, tigers or piranhas. Since the zoo is very large, it is better to take small children in a stroller. If you are traveling in a large group, it is worth renting a stroller-trailer for children, which fits six kids. In any case, there are many benches in shady places on the territory where you can relax. There are also children’s playgrounds with fun slides and several cafes.

6. MUNICH TOY MUSEUM:

Adults, as a rule, do not play with toys, but they fondly remember what dolls they played with in childhood and what railroad they dreamed of. For children, toys are a whole real world, an opportunity to comprehend adult life in a game. That is why travelers with children are so interested in visiting the Toy Museum in Munich. The entrance to the museum can be compared to the secret door from the fairy tale about Buratino, behind which miracles awaited the doll people.

The old town hall on the central square of the city hides an inconspicuous door, behind which there are four floors of toys. All of them were collected by director Ivan Steiger and his wife, they have been collecting toys for more than 40 years. The main highlight of the museum collection is that all of its items were in use, each toy had its own little owner. The exhibits in the display cases directly compete with each other: if there are dolls, then one is more elegant than the other, cars – of all colors, soldiers – from different armies and eras, animals – miniature copies of real animals. Girls, holding their breath, look at doll houses with toy furniture, dishes, clothes and many other necessary little things.

And boys stand for a long time at the display case with trains and planes, studying every detail of the toy railway station, looking at the figurines of station employees, semaphores and cranes. It should be noted that the creators of the museum clearly selected toys made not just with high quality, but with interest and love. The detail, accuracy of the parts, the jewelry of the painting on tiny objects are incredibly striking. By the way, boys can be captivated not only by trains and cars, because the exhibition also has other interesting toys with a mechanism: from sewing machines and carousels to mills. Interestingly, the old dolls are also equipped with a clever mechanism, and you can even look inside some of them. Meanwhile, this museum is also an excursion into history: some of the toys on display were used a couple of centuries ago. One of the oldest figurines dates back to 1580. The exhibition vividly reflects the development of society and the change of interests: rosy, plump dolls give way to skinny Barbies, who look with horror at the humanoid robots.

But what is almost beyond fashion is the soft toys, of which the museum owners have collected a huge number. Children are especially delighted by the huge family of Teddy bears collected from different countries. The homemade toys look very touching: the very same little people, caterpillars, hedgehogs from acorns, chestnuts and matches that many made in childhood. There are toys there made with great skill: for example, the head of a long-nosed gentleman, made using the papier-mâché technique. And, regardless of the time of year, everyone will feel the New Year’s mood at the window where the decorated Christmas tree stands. Unique toys have been collected to decorate it. Next to it, figurines for the Christmas show are on display. It is worth noting that the Steiger family owns another toy museum – in Prague.