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One Guess for What Country Has the World's Largest Zeppelin Museum

September 18, 2012 at 9:02 AM | by | Comment (1)

The US has no shortage of aviation museums and, indeed, another one just opened in Ohio this summer. Still, while walking under warbird wings and checking out the occasional spacecraft it's all too easy to forget about those lumbering pioneers of long-haul travel: the airships.

Airships (or Zeppelins/dirigibles/blimps, whatever term you most prefer) had a short shelf life thanks in part to the development of actual airplane aviation and thanks, also in part, to that "oh, the humanity" tragedy that saw the Hindenburg mega-airship go up in flames in 1937. But, for a time, Zeppelins were the coolest thing in air travel; Germany operated regular trips to both Recife, Brazil and New Jersey using them!

Alas, it should then come as no surprise that the international museum for airships is in Germany, in the southern city of Friedrichshafen, right on Lake Constance (aka the Bodensee). It's here, within the Zeppelin Museum, that visitors can view and interact with "the world’s largest collection on the history and technology of airship aviation...displayed on 2,300 square metres of exhibition floors." Plus, they throw in some medieval artwork.

The coolest attraction besides the vintage Maybach cars is, naturally, the museum's 1:1 model of the passenger cabins of the LZ 129 "Hindenburg." [Check out an awesome comparison of the Hindenburg's size with other large aircraft here]. Most focus lands on the later years—the Golden Age of airship travel, if you will—when a Luftschiff came complete with bedrooms, lounges (even one for smokers!), and a restaurant.

Visitor details:
Check out the official Zeppelin Museum website right here, but know that entrance fees are € 7,50 per adult and opening hours vary depending on the season.

[Photos: chrisjohnbeckett & storebukkebruse]

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Blimping comedy.

If you like Zeppelins or blimps, try Gasbags lighter than air comedy web site: www.hybridblimp.net
Hybrid Airship on September 18, 2012 at 1:07 PM #Permalink

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