By Chris Skeldon 
The Porsche Museum first opened its doors fifteen years ago and, since January 31, 2009, has taken nearly six million people on a fascinating journey through the brand's history. Notable visitors include the Backstreet Boys, Wladimir Klitschko, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mario Barth, Patrick Dempsey, AC/DC, Peter Maffei, Udo Lindenberg, and George Hackl, among many others.
In 2023, the Porsche Museum will break the record for the number of entries, set in the year of its opening: if in 2009 it received 511,513 visitors, in 2023 it reaches 535,613. “Last year was very special for us,” says Achim Steyskal, Head of Porsche Museum & Heritage. “On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Porsche, the number of visitors to Zuffenhausen was 54% higher than the previous year. “The many interactive elements of the exhibition and state-of-the-art display technologies make a visit to the museum an exciting experience for visitors of all ages,” adds Steiskal.
Looking back and forward, the Porsche Museum conveys the brand's enduring passion in a space where historic cars are not only displayed and accompanied by their well-documented history, but also in a living space that pays homage to the cultural significance and heritage of Porsche. The museum brand through constantly updated exhibitions and special exhibitions.
“The 15th anniversary of our Porsche Museum also pays tribute to the history, innovation and passion that have shaped the brand,” says Steskal. Naturally, the Porsche Heritage and Museums Department is involved in future-oriented projects within the company. “The Porsche Museum not only represents the past by preserving the values and spirit of the brand for future generations. It is indeed an essential part of the Porsche story that will continue to be written in the future.
Variety programming planned for 2024
In 2024, the focus will be on the 50th anniversary of the 911 Turbo – half a century ago, the Stuttgart manufacturer presented the first 911 Turbo equipped with racing technology, launching the era of high-performance sports cars. On July 30, the museum will open a special exhibition on the occasion of “50 Years of Turbo,” and will support other exhibitions under the same theme in various museums around the world. From April 25 to 28, 2024, the museum will also present a special collection of Turbo exhibits at the “Retro Classics” exhibition, an exhibition that will bring together classic car enthusiasts and sports car enthusiasts from all over the world in Stuttgart.
At “Solitude Revival”, on June 22 and 23, 2024, visitors will be taken on an automated journey through time with a selection of historical models from the brand’s collection. In addition, a selection of examples from the collection will be sent to events such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Monterey Car Week in California. 2024 will also welcome back a variety of workshops and activities for children and young people, including “Social Media Ready” or new and exciting exploration journeys through educational smartphones and tablets through which puzzles are solved along the Porsche Museum.
Visitor programs are adapted for children and adults
“Over the past 15 years, the Porsche Museum team has regularly launched new programs and developed existing ones,” says Raymond Heinisch, Head of Visitor Service and Exhibitions. For example, adults can participate in photography workshops in the Porsche 4Experts area and experience what happens behind the scenes during guided tours. In parallel, Porsche 4Kids and Porsche 4School offer a variety of different activities for children and young people, including child-oriented museum and factory visits, discovery stations in the permanent exhibition, team spirit outside the classroom and guaranteed holiday programmes. The “Social Media Ready” program is a new addition to the program, where young people between the ages of 15 and 19 are invited to create something special from the photos and videos on their smartphones, and turn them into professional video clips. “This year, we want to strengthen our cooperation with the Porsche Vocational Training Center,” announced Heinisch. The goal is also to inspire the next generation with the manufacturer's story.
The backbone of Porsche
The Porsche Archive serves as the backbone of the brand's memory, and is also a repository of any information of economic, technical, social or cultural relevance to Porsche. It is a resource for expanding brand awareness for historical PR purposes and maintaining dialogue with fans around the world. Porsche Archive staff and Chief Archive Frank Jung handle more than 6,000 inquiries per year on average. They come from internal departments, journalists, scholars, influencers and authors of books on development, motorsport and the history of the brand.
Over the past 15 years, more than 90,000 inquiries have been submitted to the team. “We do not see ourselves as mere guardians and stewards of valuable knowledge and innovations from the past. We also look to the future, because today’s innovation is tomorrow’s tradition,” emphasizes Young. Together with their team, they preserve a comprehensive record of the brand’s history for future generations, and support their colleagues at the museum with special exhibitions. Or the content of a permanent exhibition, in addition to supporting everyone who works on external displays.The legal department also helps in verifying historical facts based on the knowledge and documents in the archive.
Collection: Museum exhibits as brand ambassadors
Over the decades, the Porsche Museum has established and expanded its automobile collection covering the history of all models from 1898 to the present day. Over the past 15 years, many of the approximately 800 vehicles in the collection have traveled as brand ambassadors and Zuffenhausen artifacts to locations around the world, with the Porsche Museum & Heritage supporting more than 3,300 events and exhibitions through these exhibitions. The world was his home and historical public relations his mission. “The cars in our collection are contemporary witnesses that tell the history of the company. We view them as cultural assets that must be protected, and the process of preserving them is also cultural assets,” says Alexander Klein, Head of the Cars and Heritage Concepts Group, alongside iconic models such as the Porsche 911. (901 No. 57), which the team discovered through the TV show “Der Trödeltrupp” (“Gang of Mischief”), the collection also presents current releases that complete the picture for the future.
Most museum galleries fulfill the purpose for which they were originally constructed: they lead historical work and proactively present it to the world. This also applies to the new Heritage Experience event concept, which has already been implemented in China, Hawaii and Germany. “We are all about people's creativity. The focus is on communicating about heritage conservation work. Journalists thus have the opportunity to meet people who have passed on their knowledge and the traditions they have learned and lived, from generation to generation.
Porsche Museum as event venue
For those who want to experience the history of the brand exclusively, the Porsche Museum can be booked for events. “The museum is a very special place for events, not only because of its magnificent architecture. An event held in our rooms offers visitors the pure Porsche experience – something they will not soon forget,” says Philipp Schumm, Head of Communications and Events. His own specials, including Porsche Sound Night, Porsche Cinema 4Kids events with “Checker Tobi”, or the live broadcast of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Hans Joachim is stuck (Le Mans and DTM winner), Markus Breitschwerdt (Director of the Mercedes-Benz Classic), Timo Bernhard (Le Mans winner and brand ambassador), Bettina Haussmann, Director of the Mercedes-Benz Museum, and Angelique Kirby (Wimbledon winner and brand ambassador), and Walter Röhrl (two-time World Rally Champion and first Porsche test driver) are some of the many names that pay tribute to the Porsche Museum: a place that embodies the passion for constant travel into the future, and that preserves its unforgettable past.