Taxi driver for one night with my Fiat 500 – 11th “Rollendes Museum” event in Munich on October 19, 2019
Cultural Asset on Wheels – a report by Angie Schlegel
For the 11th time, visitors had the opportunity to take a free ride in a classic car to the Deutsches Museum, starting at the museum’s Verkehrszentrum (traffic centre) outpost. To grace the Long Night of Munich Museums, this event was organised by the “Classics for Charity e.V.” association, together with Deutsches Museum. More than 100 classic car drivers volunteered from 7pm to 12pm to transport enthusiastic people in their cars.
Verkehrszentrum (traffic centre)
Verkehrszentrum is an outpost of the Deutsches Museum in Munich. It hosts exhibitions on land and sea traffic.
In a spontaneous move, I had also applied two weeks before the event and was very happy when I learned that I had been accepted. For all who took part for the first time, introductory rides were offered. A young man in his recently restored VW T2 van had lent himself to do this tour with us newbies. It was the first time that he had his van crowded with 9 persons altogether.
Eye catcher: a Fiat in carabinieri disguise.
At 6pm, the drivers were briefed. The time remaining before the start was used to award prizes, e.g. for the longest journey (a VW Beetle from Hamburg), the biggest club (the OFOs – Obermenzing classic car friends), the oldest and the youngest participants, the oldest car and the most elegant car (Bentley MK VI, built in 1947), etc.
The owner of this VW Beetle got a prize for the longest journey.
Then, the first group headed for the Deutsches Museum. At 7pm, the adventure began. Staff with white gloves on red carpets opened the doors and helped the passengers into the cars. The queues were up to 200 metres long and people “struggled” to board the most popular classic cars, such as DeLorean, Mercedes SL Gullwing, Bentley and others. Many passengers did nothing but cruise to and fro in the classic cars all night long. A middle-aged man told me that he would queue again each time he got out of a car.
Lots of people were queuing for ride in a classic car. Angie arrives at the Deutsches Museum. Photo: Christian Wimmer
To be honest, it was a bit strenuous, but it was also great fun. I had some very kind and attentive passengers – and many young people who had never had a ride in a classic car before. At midnight, a prize draw was held, then some speeches of thanks followed and finally, we were treated to a soup. It was a very special kind of classic car meeting – and I hope to be in on it next year again.