This is one of the most amazing technical museums I’ve ever seen. There are actually two sister museums (Speyer & Sinsheim) but we only managed to see one.

I have seen that they also have an IMAX Dome theatre, which instead of projecting onto a flat surface, films are shown across a giant hemispherical dome, creating a fully immersive viewing environment. The dome measures approximately 24 meters in diameter, with a projection area of around 1,000 m². Hopefully next time we have more time and we will be able to experience de IMAX Dome as well.

Closest airports:

1. Stuttgart Airport  – 1h 10 minutes
2. Frankfurt Airport – 1h

Spaceshuttle Buran from Russia

The spacecraft on display is the OK‑GLI, an aerodynamic test prototype built in 1984. It conducted 25 atmospheric test flights—gliding and controlled landings—to inform the development of the actual orbital Buran.

Also, in the space sector is a section dedicated to Felix Baumgartner, the first man to jump from the stratosphere – who, sadly, recently passed away. 😔

You can see the original Airstream trailer that Felix used as a retreat before and after the action was specially transported from the USA to Speyer once the mission was completed. The centrepiece of the exhibition is the original pressure suit from the first test flight: an exact equivalent of the suit used in the final flight.

Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet

For over 50 years, the Boeing 747 has been taking to the air around the world. The starting signal for the success story was on 9 February 1969, when the prototype of the jumbo took off for the first time, setting new standards. The machine was the largest jet aircraft in the world and shaped passenger flights in the following years. Only the airbus A380 replaced the jumbo in its role as the largest airliner.

It is unique in the world that the cargo hold of the jumbo jet is accessible and the left wing can be climbed at a height of 20 metres. The interior trim has been partially dismantled to give an impression of the design of such a wide-bodied aircraft.

Antonov AN-22

“On 29 December 1999, thousands of spectators and media representatives gathered on the grounds of the airfield Speyer to witness a very special spectacle – the landing of a giant Antonov An-22 wide-body aircraft.

With a wingspan of 64 meters and a kerb weight of 114 tons, the An-22 is the largest propeller aircraft in the world. The landing at Speyer, on a runway just 1300 meters long, was therefore quite a challenge for the experienced test pilots, who boarded the Antonov in Kiev and first flew non-stop to the Karlsruhe / Baden-Baden airport. The meticulous preparations, during which even the roof of a building on the grounds of the Technik Museum Speyer had to be removed for safety reasons, was nonetheless considered to be worth it. After only two test approaches, the pilots precisely landed the machine on the runway.

The An-22 was designed as a civilian and military transport aircraft for transporting loads of up to 100 tons into remote regions with no fixed runway. In an emergency, a solid grass runway was sufficient for takeoff and landing. The huge, 33 metre long and 4.4 metre wide cargo space can comfortably accommodate three fully loaded gravel trucks, and the Antonov AN-22 would have no trouble lifting off with this load.“

Submarine U9

One of the highlights for me was walking through the Submarine U-9. I loved it so much that I even convinced Fabian (who has claustrophobia 😅) to come with me because it’s totally worth it. Standing inside makes you realize how far technology has come – and just how incredible human engineering already was decades ago.

The U9 submarine was built in Germany and put into service on 11 April 1967. The nominal dive depth was 100m and it was armed with eight bow torpedo tubes. It was decommissioned in 1993 as part of the reduction in military capacity. During its service, the U9 travelled 174,850 nautical miles, which is equivalent to eight trips around the world. The ship spent 16,478 hours and 11 minutes submerged, which corresponds to a year and 11 months spent underwater. Thanks to the special shape of its hull, the U9 travelled faster underwater than above the surface. 

In addition to everything that I have described, there are also many vintage cars.

Entrance Fees

As of August 2025, ticket prices are:

• Day-Pass Museum + IMAX: 30EUR
• Museum Ticket: 20EUR
• 2-Day-Pass Museum (Speyer + Sinsheim) + IMAX: 54 EUR
• Afternoon ticket (3 hours before closing): 15 EUR
  
• Reduced rates for seniors and guests with disabilities
• Kids under 4 years old enter free

Final thoughts

The only museum I’d put above this one is the Smithsonian in Washington DC, which I visited 15 years ago. But since my memories are blurry, this visit to Speyer felt like a first-time discovery all over again. I just cannot wait to go and see Sinsheim as well and Speyer one more time.