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Spotlight on 2016 anniversary: 10 years of the Mercedes-Benz Museum


mercedes benz museum (select to view enlarged photo)
Cars & Coffee outside the Mercedes-Benz Museum, photograph from 2015

STUTTGART -- January 26, 2016: The countdown to a milestone anniversary for the Mercedes-Benz Museum begins on 29 January 2016, the 130th birthday of the automobile: The Mercedes-Benz Museum will be launching its programme on that day with a series of themed guided tours and a special presentation to mark ten years of the Mercedes-Benz Museum. To coincide with the actual "birthday" itself, on 19 May 2016, a special exhibition about the E-Class, "Meisterstück-E" (MasterpiEces), will open. The main anniversary celebrations for fans and families will take place on 4 and 5 June 2016. Since 2006, the Mercedes-Benz Museum has been telling the story of the automobile from its beginnings and into the future. More than 7.1 million visitors have visited the venue over the last ten years.

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What date could be more appropriate for the launch of a major programme to mark the anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz Museum? On 29 January 2016 it will be 130 years since Carl Benz registered the patent for his "gas engine-powered vehicle" back in 1886 - a date that is generally considered to mark the birth of the automobile.

120 years later, on 19 May 2006, a good two and half years of construction work came to an end with the opening of the new Mercedes-Benz Museum, just outside the gates of the Untertürkheim plant. Right from the beginning, its architecture, exhibition concept and events set new standards in this field.

On the day the anniversary programme is launched, 29 January 2016, there will be hourly themed tours on special subjects such as the automobile, Silver Arrows, commercial vehicles, Bertha Benz, the architecture of the museum and Women and Cars (bookings on the day at the museum). There will also be a special presentation covering the first ten years of the Mercedes-Benz Museum on the Classic Island (Level 0).

The spotlight throughout 2016 will be on this special anniversary

A particular highlight over the coming months, alongside the opening of the E-Class special exhibition on 19 May, will be the anniversary weekend on 4 and 5 June 2016. Fans and families can look forward to a major celebration under the heading "A future always needs a past". The Mercedes-Benz Museum will be marking this milestone birthday throughout the year with the following anniversary programme:

  • Special exhibition: Safety cars (until 17 April 2016)

  • Web series Museum Monday (from 25 January 2016)

  • Special presentation in the atrium: SLS AMG GT 3 (until 29 February 2016)

  • Special presentation: 10 years of the Mercedes-Benz Museum (from 29 January 2016)

  • What's the cow doing in the fridge? Hands-on exhibition for children (16 February to 4 March 2016)

  • Mercedes-Benz social media night (23 February, 2 March, 6 April, 18 May and 8 June 2016)

  • Bonhams Auction (19 March 2016)

  • Long Night of Museums (2 April 2016)

  • "Tricks for Kids" international animated film festival (27 April to 1 May 2016)

  • Special exhibition all about the E-Class: Meisterstück-E ("MasterpiEces") (19 May to 6 November 2016)

  • Pre-work Party and anniversary programme to mark 10 years of the Mercedes-Benz Museum (19 May 2016)

  • Anniversary weekend marking 10 years of the Mercedes-Benz Museum for fans and families (4/5 June 2016)

  • Cars & Coffee (every Sunday from 19 June to 4 September 2016)

  • Mercedes-Benz Lounge (14 June to 4 September 2016)

The museum is an established destination for visitors from all over the world. More than seven million people from over 160 countries have visited the Museum so far to see its display of 160 vehicles and altogether more than 1500 exhibits, on show over an area of 16,500 square metres. The Mercedes-Benz Museum brings the legend of Mercedes-Benz to life – and with it the history of individual mobility from the invention of the automobile by Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler in 1886 through to the present day.

The building itself also attracts attention. The multiple award-winning architecture by Dutch architectural practice UNStudio is perfectly complemented by the exhibition concept developed by the Stuttgart-based museum designer HG Merz: on nine levels, paths wind in the shape of a double helix along a time axis stretching from the invention of the motor car to the present day. The Mercedes-Benz Museum is constantly reinventing itself, thanks to a varied programme of attractive events covering a broad spectrum of topics. Together with the permanent display and changing special exhibitions, this is a significant factor in ensuring that guests from all over the world enjoy visiting the Mercedes-Benz Museum – and do so over and over again.