Porsche’s new museum, recently opened at corporate headquarters in Stuttgart, promotes the “Porsche idea” with a trip back in time through the company’s six-decade history to nurture the thought that Porsche cars do not grow old, but instead become classics.
The actual Exhibition Area is contained within an architecturally daring steel structure resting on just three concrete cores that suggests the appearance of hovering in space. Inside the museum, Porsche’s historical cars and some 200 additional exhibits are grouped together in careful arrangements.
Visitors are guided through the history of Porsche with demonstrations of the Porsche Idea through characteristics such as fast, light, clever, powerful, intense, and consistent. For anyone who found the previous museum small and crowded, this new edifice will be a revelation—especially the double-level underground garage with some 260 parking spaces.
The displays are regularly altered as cars are transported to and from historic events all over the globe, so instead of a conventional, static exhibition, return visitors can enjoy constantly changing presentations. All this is further enhanced by the interactive “mediatheque,” micro-cinemas, and mobile audio-guides that offer supplementary background information about the exhibits.
The Porsche Archives have also been moved to the new museum, and are partly visible through glass walls from the lobby. After registering in advance, specialists and enthusiasts may visit the Archives to research the company’s history.
Apart from the museum shop, the coffee bar, and the bistro, two further highlights are the exclusive Christophorus Restaurant and a special Event Area. The restaurant enjoys a separate entrance so diners can experience its delights after regular museum hours.
