Places of interest

The permanent exhibition on the museum's six storeys includes a total of 15 exhibitions organised into seven categories:
Communication, steam engines and nuclear power plants, machinery, metals and plastics, railways and automobiles, agriculture, commerce and metropolis, paper, printing and textiles. Special exhibitions are featured regularly.

Opening hours:
Daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on December 24th and 31st.

One of the world's first planetariums, located in the lower Luisenpark was opened in Mannheim back in 1927. Today's planetarium features a 20 m projection dome and space for around 220 visitors. Numerous technical improvements have been added from 1984 to today, including a show laser system, equipment and large-scale video display projectors. Thanks to the device's fibre optics, stars are now more realistic than ever and feature an unsurpassed brilliance.

The city's two major parks, the Luisenpark and the Herzogenriedpark, boast an exceptional reputation even outside of the city. The Luisenpark, covering an area of 41 hectares, is the larger of the two. Its history extends back before the turn of the century. Today, the Luisenpark is considered one of the most beautiful parks in Europe - and not just according to Mannheim's residents. This park in the middle of the town centre features a botanical garden, a zoo, an amusement park and a theme park.

Getting to Germany's Palatinate region is as easy as simply crossing the Rhine from Mannheim. The region is characterised by gently rolling vineyards, extensive orchards, far-reaching forests and a climate reminiscent of southern Europe. The German Wine Route features tranquil, romantic corners that are anything but sleepy when the wine festival season begins: jazz, pop, rock or classic concerts among ancient ruins and picturesque wineries shouldn't be missed.

Heidelberg is world-famous as the cradle of German Romanticism and a university city located just 20 km from Mannheim. The town centre with its numerous delightful corners and alleyways is situated on the banks of the Neckar. Enjoy a magnificent view from the Philosopher's Way or old bridge. The Heidelberger Castle (which is more like castle ruins, but which still attract visitors from around the world) towers above the town centre. For a romantic experience, take a walk through the castle grounds or discover the Heidelberg Tun that holds 221,726 litres of wine inside the castle.

The final week in July is when hoards of enthusiastic motor sport fans flock to the Ring when the big Formula 1 prize is awarded in Hockenheim. Hockenheim fittingly features a museum for motorsport fans. The Tobacco Museum is also worth visiting.

To experience how it feels to be on the Hockenheim Ring yourself, simply call +49 (0) 620 595 0212.

14th April to 8th October 2023

Colourful flower show, exuberant summer festival and exciting experimental field all in one can be found at the Federal Garden Show (BUGA) in Mannheim. Two sites in Mannheim will be the setting for BUGA 23: Luisenpark and the Spinelli site between Feudenheim and Käfertal. The Luisenpark will be extended by 3,000 sqm especially for the BUGA and a new park centre will be created in organic shapes. A very special highlight is certainly the cable car that connects the two areas on an approx. 8-minute ride. Around 5,000 events complement the exciting exhibition. 

3rd June, 8th July and 2nd September 2023

The Castle Illuminations take place three times a year to commemorate the destruction of Heidelberg and its castle by French troops during the War of the Palatinate Succession.

The castle is symbolically set ablaze. 50 volunteers from the fire brigade light Bengal fires that bathe the castle in a surreal light so that it appears as if the entire castle is on fire.