Maxvorstadt is the city's museum and university quarter, with grand old buildings, wide lawns and plenty to do when the weather turns. This list gathers the family plans we've checked in the neighborhood, from kids' theater and readings to places worth a whole afternoon. It refreshes on its own as new plans open, so it's worth a look before each weekend.
Janosch's picture book, staged. Little Bear fishes a crate out of the river that smells of bananas and says "Panama", so he and Little Tiger set off to find it.
On the way they meet a busy mouse, a cow, a sly fox, a hare and a hedgehog, and work out that home may be the place they were looking for. Five actors play the whole cast.
A stage version of Otfried Preußler's second Hotzenplotz book. The robber has broken out of jail, eaten Grandmother's sausages and sauerkraut, and kidnapped her. Kasperl and Seppel set out to rescue her, get caught themselves, and need help from the fortune teller Mrs. Schlotterbeck and her crocodile-dog Wasti. Played by a cast of seven. Kids who already know the books will follow it most easily.
A stage version of the Grimm tale Die Sterntaler, with music and choreography. Hanne, on her own since her parents' accident, helps out at a Christmas market. When a gold coin falls from the sky, she sets out to return it, riding a barrel organ tune up to the post room for wish lists and the star workshop. Suits kids who can follow a long story in German.
A stage version of Otfried Preußler's classic about a young witch who wants to do good, though her spells still go wrong and it rains clothespins or white mice. With her hungry raven Abraxas she helps the chestnut seller and rescues Korbinian the ox, while the witch Rumpumpel spies on her before the big test on the Blocksberg. Performed in German by a professional cast in full costume.
A stage version of Sven Nordqvist's Pettersson and Findus Christmas story, played in German by a full cast in hen, cat and fox costumes. Findus crashes his sled into Pettersson while hunting for a tree, and the old man's sprained foot is only the start: a lost wish list, a homemade tree that looks like a wilted cactus, and Snorre the fox stealing the best laying hen.
A family session in Robotic Worlds, the robot exhibition at Die Neue Sammlung, Munich's design museum. Kids and parents watch odd machines roll past on a conveyor belt, some shaped like dogs, sea creatures or cartoon characters, and talk about what each one can do and why it was built.
Then it turns hands-on: each kid draws a robot of their own, and gets to program a few real ones.
A merchant lost in the forest steals a rose from a castle garden, and his daughter Bella takes his punishment with the Beast. This is Johannes Galli's own join-in play, not the Disney musical. Kids call out ideas that go into the story, and at many points they can join in on stage. It suits kids who like to take part and can follow German.
Part of Germany's nationwide reading day. Sabine Bohlmann, Charlotte Habersack and Jörg Hilbert each read from their best-known children's books on the theater stage, including Ritter Rost and Frau Honig. A reading barber, Danny Beuerbach, joins in the afternoon, and the day ends with the authors talking about how they write and where ideas come from.
An Advent market set up as a medieval Munich market scene, with detailed stalls, crafts and market food. Much of it ties back to the city's own history, such as the monk on its first city seal who later turned into the Münchner Kindl.
It suits kids who like knights, castles and old stories, and grown-ups after a more atmospheric Christmas market than the usual.
René Frotscher is an award-winning comedy magician, and his family show mixes sleight of hand with clowning, mime, slapstick and a lot of wordplay. Coins appear out of thin air, scarves and cards vanish, and kids from the audience help out with the tricks. He keeps adding new tricks to the program, so families who have seen him before still get fresh material.
A stage version of the Grimm tale. Hard-working Maria toils for lazy, money-hungry Frau Schnöselbach and her daughter Marie, who never pay her. When Maria drops her sewing into a well and climbs in after it, she lands in the world of Frau Holle, the woman who makes it snow. A clear story about hard work and fairness, told by a cast of six with bright, colorful sets.
A children's stage version of Mozart's Magic Flute. Prince Tamino, chased by a dragon, sets out to rescue Pamina with Papageno, a funny bird catcher who is not very brave, armed with a magic flute and magic bells.
Actors in full costume tell the story with music and dance, and it leaves kids with a question: was the Queen of the Night telling the truth? A friendly first taste of Mozart for school-age kids.
A stage version of Janosch's picture book. Little Bear and Little Tiger live by the river, but Tiger gets lonely whenever Bear goes fishing. So Bear writes him letters, and the two end up inventing the post, airmail and a telephone with underground cables.
Actors in costume play it close to the book, on a painted set. Kids who know the bear and tiger books will feel at home.
Munich's oldest beer garden, first marked on a city map in 1812, seats 5,000 under more than 100 chestnut trees. Kids head for the raised playground with a sandpit, swing, climbing tower and slide, and tables sit right around it so parents can watch.
In the self-service area, families can bring their own picnic, as Bavarian tradition allows, or buy pretzels, roast chicken and fish grilled on a stick.
The Krone-Bau is the permanent home of Circus Krone, which tours Germany in summer and comes back here for its winter season. Shows fill the ring under a 3,000-seat roof, mixing classic circus (acrobats, clowns, animal acts) with modern routines.
A life-size statue of the clown Charlie Rivel stands at the entrance. Outside circus season, the building hosts concerts and other productions.
A children's theater where professional actors stage fairy tales and classic children's books: Grimm, Hauff and Andersen alongside Astrid Lindgren, Otfried Preußler, Janosch and Michael Ende. Sets and costumes are elaborate, and the repertoire runs to at least 16 plays. Plays are performed in German.
The hall sits in a listed 1916 former cinema with Jugendstil interiors, and the raised stage gives a clear view from almost every seat.
A small pottery workshop near the Englischer Garten, run by ceramicist Désirée Oberländer for about 40 years. Kids build with clay in groups of up to 10, with no set models: they shape their own pieces and group projects, then glaze and paint them themselves after firing.
Older kids can learn the electric potter's wheel, and the studio also hosts weekend theme workshops and birthday parties.
Four museums share one building: modern art, works on paper, architecture and design, all arranged around a tall glass rotunda. One visit moves from paintings to everyday design objects and architecture.
Every Sunday afternoon the PIN.k workshop room runs a drop-in program for ages 5 to 12, with gallery walks and hands-on making. On other days, free activity cards from the info desk guide a self-led tour for kids.
The public museum of the Bavarian State Collection for Paleontology and Geology fills a glass-roofed hall with big skeletons. At the center stands the Mühldorf prehistoric elephant, surrounded by Plateosaurus (the largest dinosaur found in Bavaria), Allosaurus, Triceratops, the giant flying reptile Pteranodon, a giant deer and a cave bear.
Upstairs, a timeline runs through every era of Earth's history. The museum also shows the Munich Archaeopteryx.
Maxvorstadt is the city's museum and university quarter, with grand old buildings, wide lawns and plenty to do when the weather turns. This list gathers the family plans we've checked in the neighborhood, from kids' theater and readings to places worth a whole afternoon. It refreshes on its own as new plans open, so it's worth a look before each weekend.
Janosch's picture book, staged. Little Bear fishes a crate out of the river that smells of bananas and says "Panama", so he and Little Tiger set off to find it.
On the way they meet a busy mouse, a cow, a sly fox, a hare and a hedgehog, and work out that home may be the place they were looking for. Five actors play the whole cast.
A stage version of Otfried Preußler's second Hotzenplotz book. The robber has broken out of jail, eaten Grandmother's sausages and sauerkraut, and kidnapped her. Kasperl and Seppel set out to rescue her, get caught themselves, and need help from the fortune teller Mrs. Schlotterbeck and her crocodile-dog Wasti. Played by a cast of seven. Kids who already know the books will follow it most easily.
A stage version of the Grimm tale Die Sterntaler, with music and choreography. Hanne, on her own since her parents' accident, helps out at a Christmas market. When a gold coin falls from the sky, she sets out to return it, riding a barrel organ tune up to the post room for wish lists and the star workshop. Suits kids who can follow a long story in German.
A stage version of Otfried Preußler's classic about a young witch who wants to do good, though her spells still go wrong and it rains clothespins or white mice. With her hungry raven Abraxas she helps the chestnut seller and rescues Korbinian the ox, while the witch Rumpumpel spies on her before the big test on the Blocksberg. Performed in German by a professional cast in full costume.
A stage version of Sven Nordqvist's Pettersson and Findus Christmas story, played in German by a full cast in hen, cat and fox costumes. Findus crashes his sled into Pettersson while hunting for a tree, and the old man's sprained foot is only the start: a lost wish list, a homemade tree that looks like a wilted cactus, and Snorre the fox stealing the best laying hen.
A family session in Robotic Worlds, the robot exhibition at Die Neue Sammlung, Munich's design museum. Kids and parents watch odd machines roll past on a conveyor belt, some shaped like dogs, sea creatures or cartoon characters, and talk about what each one can do and why it was built.
Then it turns hands-on: each kid draws a robot of their own, and gets to program a few real ones.
A merchant lost in the forest steals a rose from a castle garden, and his daughter Bella takes his punishment with the Beast. This is Johannes Galli's own join-in play, not the Disney musical. Kids call out ideas that go into the story, and at many points they can join in on stage. It suits kids who like to take part and can follow German.
Part of Germany's nationwide reading day. Sabine Bohlmann, Charlotte Habersack and Jörg Hilbert each read from their best-known children's books on the theater stage, including Ritter Rost and Frau Honig. A reading barber, Danny Beuerbach, joins in the afternoon, and the day ends with the authors talking about how they write and where ideas come from.
An Advent market set up as a medieval Munich market scene, with detailed stalls, crafts and market food. Much of it ties back to the city's own history, such as the monk on its first city seal who later turned into the Münchner Kindl.
It suits kids who like knights, castles and old stories, and grown-ups after a more atmospheric Christmas market than the usual.
René Frotscher is an award-winning comedy magician, and his family show mixes sleight of hand with clowning, mime, slapstick and a lot of wordplay. Coins appear out of thin air, scarves and cards vanish, and kids from the audience help out with the tricks. He keeps adding new tricks to the program, so families who have seen him before still get fresh material.
A stage version of the Grimm tale. Hard-working Maria toils for lazy, money-hungry Frau Schnöselbach and her daughter Marie, who never pay her. When Maria drops her sewing into a well and climbs in after it, she lands in the world of Frau Holle, the woman who makes it snow. A clear story about hard work and fairness, told by a cast of six with bright, colorful sets.
A children's stage version of Mozart's Magic Flute. Prince Tamino, chased by a dragon, sets out to rescue Pamina with Papageno, a funny bird catcher who is not very brave, armed with a magic flute and magic bells.
Actors in full costume tell the story with music and dance, and it leaves kids with a question: was the Queen of the Night telling the truth? A friendly first taste of Mozart for school-age kids.
A stage version of Janosch's picture book. Little Bear and Little Tiger live by the river, but Tiger gets lonely whenever Bear goes fishing. So Bear writes him letters, and the two end up inventing the post, airmail and a telephone with underground cables.
Actors in costume play it close to the book, on a painted set. Kids who know the bear and tiger books will feel at home.
Munich's oldest beer garden, first marked on a city map in 1812, seats 5,000 under more than 100 chestnut trees. Kids head for the raised playground with a sandpit, swing, climbing tower and slide, and tables sit right around it so parents can watch.
In the self-service area, families can bring their own picnic, as Bavarian tradition allows, or buy pretzels, roast chicken and fish grilled on a stick.
The Krone-Bau is the permanent home of Circus Krone, which tours Germany in summer and comes back here for its winter season. Shows fill the ring under a 3,000-seat roof, mixing classic circus (acrobats, clowns, animal acts) with modern routines.
A life-size statue of the clown Charlie Rivel stands at the entrance. Outside circus season, the building hosts concerts and other productions.
A children's theater where professional actors stage fairy tales and classic children's books: Grimm, Hauff and Andersen alongside Astrid Lindgren, Otfried Preußler, Janosch and Michael Ende. Sets and costumes are elaborate, and the repertoire runs to at least 16 plays. Plays are performed in German.
The hall sits in a listed 1916 former cinema with Jugendstil interiors, and the raised stage gives a clear view from almost every seat.
A small pottery workshop near the Englischer Garten, run by ceramicist Désirée Oberländer for about 40 years. Kids build with clay in groups of up to 10, with no set models: they shape their own pieces and group projects, then glaze and paint them themselves after firing.
Older kids can learn the electric potter's wheel, and the studio also hosts weekend theme workshops and birthday parties.
Four museums share one building: modern art, works on paper, architecture and design, all arranged around a tall glass rotunda. One visit moves from paintings to everyday design objects and architecture.
Every Sunday afternoon the PIN.k workshop room runs a drop-in program for ages 5 to 12, with gallery walks and hands-on making. On other days, free activity cards from the info desk guide a self-led tour for kids.
The public museum of the Bavarian State Collection for Paleontology and Geology fills a glass-roofed hall with big skeletons. At the center stands the Mühldorf prehistoric elephant, surrounded by Plateosaurus (the largest dinosaur found in Bavaria), Allosaurus, Triceratops, the giant flying reptile Pteranodon, a giant deer and a cave bear.
Upstairs, a timeline runs through every era of Earth's history. The museum also shows the Munich Archaeopteryx.
