Fifteen years ago, the spectacular building at Porscheplatz 1 in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen opened its doors for the first time. In May this year, Achim Stejskal, Director Heritage and Porsche Museum, and his team were able to welcome the six millionth visitor to the Porsche Museum.
Do you remember 31 January 2009, the very first day when you welcomed visitors?
Achim Stejskal: I will never forget the first day we were open to the public. I personally welcomed the first visitors in the foyer. An incredible queue had formed in the courtyard, even though it was a cold winter’s day in January. Before that, we had given around one hundred international media representatives a tour of the museum and organised several extensive test runs with the team. The first few weeks were incredibly exciting and exhilarating. We are proud that we have been able to reach the milestone of six million visitors from all around the world this year.
A lot has happened in the Porsche Museum since then.
Over the years, we have expanded our interactive offerings, launched our own events, such as Sound Night, and displayed Porsche history and the exhibits not only at Porscheplatz in Zuffenhausen, but also sent them around the world. We even kept the museum open for the entire duration of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
What would you say is the key to successfully maintaining unwavering interest in the Porsche Museum?
The Porsche Museum is not just a place where historical cars are showcased and their history documented, but also a living space with regularly changing exhibits and special exhibitions. It has established itself as the company’s calling card and brand ambassador. By constantly developing our offerings, with the most recent example being the online admission ticket, we are expanding our museum into a multimedia experience. In addition, the human factor plays an important role: the team works every day to create an unforgettable experience for our visitors, who also come face to face with the innovations and passion that shape the history of the Porsche brand in our museum – and I mean this in the literal sense. We focus strongly on the needs of our visitors.
What can visitors expect during the course of the year?
2024 is all about the 50th anniversary of the 911 Turbo. Our special exhibition “Beyond Performance – 50 Years of Porsche Turbo” will start on 30 July. The anniversary of the Turbo will also be the focus of this year’s summer holiday programme, which is being run in collaboration with Lego. In addition, we are also establishing the so-called ‘Escape Games’, in which visitors can make their way through the Porsche Museum by an exciting rally in search of puzzles. Visitors will also be able to find us outside of Zuffenhausen, for example at the Solitude Revival, which takes place on the weekend of 22 – 23 June on the outskirts of Stuttgart. On the same weekend, we will be attending the MYLE festival in Munich for the first time – here mobility meets music and we will come across younger target groups. In addition, we will be supporting a number of special exhibitions around the world to mark the anniversary of the Turbo, including at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne as well as a variety of events in Norway, Poland and the US. We will also continue our cooperation with the Mercedes-Benz Museum this year.
Stuttgart is famous for being the home of two well-known automobile museums. What joint activities with the Mercedes-Benz Museum can enthusiasts look forward to?
First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the team from the Mercedes-Benz Museum on their coming of age. Our compatriots in Bad Cannstatt are celebrating their 18th birthday on Sunday, 19 May. We have worked together very successfully from the very beginning. In addition to a combined ticket, which entitles visitors to discounted admission to the other museum, we also regularly lend each other vehicle exhibits – for example, during the upcoming European Championship, when Stuttgart will be the venue for five matches.