Bavarian Public Observatory Munich

Tucked away near Munich's Ostbahnhof at Rosenheimer Straße 145h, the Bavarian Public Observatory Munich has been inviting curious visitors to look through a telescope since 1946. Run entirely by volunteers, it remains one of Germany's most active public astronomy venues.

About Bavarian Public Observatory Munich

The observatory is operated by the Bayerische Volkssternwarte München e.V., a voluntary association with around 600 members. Its mission is to bring astronomy to the public rather than to conduct professional research, and it does so on a scale few amateur observatories match: staff and volunteers run more than 500 public shows every year for roughly 25,000 visitors.

Telescopes & research

Visitors can look through four large telescopes housed on site, and the observatory's planetarium still uses a Zeiss ZKP1 projector from the 1950s — a fully analog instrument operated entirely by hand rather than by computer, a rarity today.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits at an elevation of 539 metres in Munich, Germany, within easy reach of the city centre near Ostbahnhof. Its central, urban setting makes it one of the most accessible public observatories in Bavaria.

Visiting Bavarian Public Observatory Munich

Public evening tours run for about 90 minutes, starting at 8pm from September to March and at 9pm from April to August. English-language tours are offered on Monday evenings. Given the popularity of the shows, checking the official website or calling ahead before visiting is recommended.

See your named star from here

Because a named star comes with precise coordinates, it can be located with a telescope from almost anywhere — including a dedicated public observatory like this one in Munich. If you'd like to name a star of your own, browse our naming packages or explore the star catalogue to see what's available.