Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen

The Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen holds the world's most important collection on the history of airships and is one of the top things to do on Lake Constance. Housed in a listed 1930s harbor station right on the waterfront, it tells the story of Count Zeppelin's giant rigid airships and their impact on the town. The highlight is a walk-through reconstruction of the passenger section of the Hindenburg, making the museum worthwhile for history buffs, engineering fans and families alike.

Where it is and how to get there

Friedrichshafen lies on the northern shore of Lake Constance in Baden-Württemberg, close to the borders with Austria and Switzerland. The town has its own small airport, and Stuttgart and Zurich are the nearest major cities.

• By train: Friedrichshafen Hafen station is practically at the museum's door, and the main Stadt station is a few minutes' walk away. Regional trains are covered by the Deutschlandticket.
• By boat: Lake Constance ships from Lindau, Meersburg and Konstanz dock right in front of the museum, and a ferry links Friedrichshafen with Romanshorn in Switzerland.
• By car: Follow signs to the town center and use one of the downtown parking garages.

What makes it special

Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin built his first airships here on Lake Constance, and the industry he founded shaped Friedrichshafen for generations. The museum opened in 1996 and now draws more than 240,000 visitors a year. Some 1,500 objects fill over 43,000 square feet of space:

• A faithful, roughly 108-foot (33 m) reconstruction of the passenger quarters of LZ 129 Hindenburg, with cabins, the writing room and the promenade deck. The airship burned at Lakehurst, New Jersey, on May 6, 1937.
• Original girders, propellers, gondolas and engines that show how an airship almost four times the size of an Airbus could still be lighter than air.
• A "cabinet of curiosities" devoted to the zeppelin as a pop-culture icon.
• Hands-on experiment stations and a flight simulator.
• An art collection spanning southern German masters from the Middle Ages to modern artists such as Otto Dix.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, according to the museum (prices in EUR):

• May to October: daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; November to April: Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays. Last entry 4:30 p.m.
• Adults €14.50, ages 6 to 16 €8, seniors €13.50, reduced €9.50, family ticket €33.
• After 4 p.m., a discounted "taster" ticket costs €9.

Tickets are sold online and at the door. Guided tours are offered in English and several other languages, and the free ZeppApp provides audio guides on your phone. Plan two to four hours. On Thursdays, the museum's free OPEN HOUSE program offers talks and readings.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you have any interest in aviation or 20th-century history, this is one of the best museums in southern Germany, and it's a perfect rainy-day option on the lake. The museum lists step-free access and accessible restrooms, and offers special tours, including tactile and sign-language tours.

Nearby

• The lakefront promenade and the harbor observation tower, right outside.
• The Dornier Museum, covering aerospace history near the airport, available as a combo ticket.
• Lindau and Meersburg, both easy boat trips away for a full day on Lake Constance.