Beer and Oktoberfest Museum, Munich

The Beer and Oktoberfest Museum is focused on celebrating Bavaria's rich beer culture and the historical significance of Munich's Oktoberfest. This museum is privately owned and managed by the Edith-Haberland-Wagner Foundation, which also owns the Augustiner Bräu beer brand, once brewed exclusively by Augustinian monks.

Situated within Munich's oldest residence, a six-story building dating back to 1340, constructed shortly after a major fire in 1327 that devastated significant portions of the city. The building's facade paintings have been painstakingly restored, and the original wooden beams have been preserved. It comprises 12 apartments and features a distinctive medieval architectural element known as 'Heaven's Stairs,' which provides access to the upper floors for visitors.

Inside the museum, visitors can explore the global history of beer brewing, spanning from ancient Egypt to the Bavarian monks who adhered to purity laws in their brewing practices. The exhibition also highlights the history of Munich's six breweries, with a notable artifact being the wooden box known as the brewer's ark, used in Munich Brewer's initiation ceremonies. The upper floor is dedicated to recounting the evolution of Oktoberfest, which initially began as the wedding celebration of King Ludwig I in 1810 and eventually grew to become the world's largest beer festival.