Museum Mensch und Natur (Museum of Humankind and Nature)

BODY WORKS: See how we operate at
Munich's Museum of Humankind and Nature.

MUSEUM MENSCH UND NATUR: A Pandora’s box of earthly mysteries is cast open at this surprisingly entertaining museum.

This is a great destination for kids, but unfortunately the signage is only in German.

A world of wonders

A section called the Spielerische Naturkunde – nicht nur für Kinder (English: Natural History Playtime) lets you discover the Earth’s rich variety of fauna through fun interactive displays.

Get a load of the Japanischen Riesenkrabbe (Japanese Giant Crab) which seems to have come from the Lord of the Rings props department.

The "problem bear"

POOR BRUNO: One of Bavaria's most famous Italian "immigrants"
is a permanent fixture at the museum.

There’s a special exhibition on Bruno, Bavaria’s famous "Problem Bär".

A big brown bear, Bruno wandered across the Tyrolean Alps from Italy and into Bavaria in 2006 – making him the first brown bear on German soil in over 170 years.

Officially known as JJ1, Bruno went on a predatory spree, killing 33 sheep, chickens, beehives, and even a guinea pig.

Authorities made a couple of attempts to capture Bruno, fearing he’d become a threat to humans.
Sadly, they failed, and Bruno was shot dead near the Spitzingsee Lake on June 26, 2006. Bruno’s stuffed body is part of the exhibit – much to the consternation of Italian authorities who claim he belongs to them.
R.I.P.Bruno, we know you were just doing what bears were born to do.

Of beasts and men

BRAIN: The entire world and everything on it is being controlled
from this room.

There’s a section on the evolution of life on Earth with more stuffed creatures including a couple of lions and a big red kangaroo.

This leads on to an exhibit about dinosaurs and a fearsome predator’s skull the size of a coffee table.

An eye-opening section on nutrition shows what’s on different dinner tables throughout the world.

A room on human beings features illuminated bodies and a gigantic brain. Exhibits on rocks, crystals and underwater life fill out the museum.

A few more pictures from the Museum Mensch und Natur

FEARSOME: The Japanischen Riesenkrabbe (Japanese Giant Crab) might have
you jumping out of your skin.

FOR A BEAR IN BAVARIA, IT'S A DOG'S LIFE: Part of the memorial to Bruno the bear.

GOING UP: A counter keeps track of the number of people on the Earth. The caption below reads: "Becasue there are more people being born than are dying, the total human population is always on the rise. Every two seconds five more people are born."

CALL HELP!: Me in front of an exhibit on the "the last giant dinosaurs" at the
Museum Mensch und Natur.

The details

MAP OF NYMHPENBURG:
Click on the map to
see a larger version to
print out.

Location: The Museum Mensch und Natur is in the north wing of Nymphenburg Palace in Munich’s west.
Phone: 089 17 95 890
Website:http://www.musmn.de/starteng.htm
Cost: €3.50, concession €2.50, children under 18 go in free. Sundays €1 for all adults.
Open:The Museum Mensch und Natur is open Tuesday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 10am to 6pm. It’s slowly being turned into BIOTOPIA, Bavaria’s new natural history museum, so check the website for any temporary closures. Closed Mondays, Shrove Tuesday and December 24, 25 and 31.

Directions:
▪To Nymphenburg Palace, take any S-Bahn to Laim. Head to the left once you leave the station and it's a 20min walk along Wotan Strasse and left at Romansplatz (or you can take bus No 51 from Laim).

▪You can also take Tram No. 16 or 17 from outside the Hauptbahnhof (Main Train Station), or No 12 from Rotkreuzplatz (direction Romansplatz or Amalienburgstrasse).

▪See here for Munich transport maps.

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