At a special ceremonial event in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Porsche on January 28 officially declared the opening of its new museum – one of the most significant and historic building projects in the long and storied history of the company.
This special dedication comes just days before the museum will be open to the public for the first time this Saturday, January 31. Porsche expects more than 200,000 visitors to the museum each year.
On hand to mark the official ceremonial opening of this spectacular new building was Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking, chairman of the board of Porsche AG, who welcomed State Parliament President Peter Straub, the Prime Minister of Baden-Wurttemberg Gunther Oettinger, Interior Minister Heribert Rech, the Lord Mayor of Stuttgart Dr. Wolfgang Schuster, and members of the Porsche and Piech families as well as an additional 200 invited guests.
"This is our new business card on the Porscheplatz," announced Dr. Wiedeking. "We will not only use the museum as an exhibition, but also as a communication platform – as a permanent, integral part of the ongoing dialogue which Porsche conducts with the public."
Porsche's new modern building occupies nearly 5,600 square meters of exhibition space, providing room for approximately 80 historic vehicles and more than 200 exhibits from the company's history. Spacious conference areas are available for events, including access to an impressive roof terrace. The exclusive restaurant "Christophorus" integrated into the exhibition, adds to the assortment of haute cuisine in Stuttgart. Furthermore, the museum bundles the entire historical spectrum of the sportscar manufacturer in one location with its Historical Archive. On display for all visitors to see, expert technicians will work in a transparent museum workshop, ensuring that the exhibition vehicles, and the historic vehicles of customers, are kept in impeccable condition.
During his remarks at the ceremony, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG, emphasized the task of the sportscar manufacturer to always remember the founding personalities of the company and to keep the spirit of their work alive: "My grandfather and my father were passionate automobile pioneers, engineers, and entrepreneurs. Their life's work and everything that their successors successfully made of this and further developed from it, is documented here," said Porsche.
Representing the region's governing bodies, both Prime Minister Oettinger and Lord Mayor Dr. Schuster spoke about the indelible historical significance of the Porsche Museum and its ramifications far beyond the boundaries of Stuttgart.
"The history of Baden-Wurttemberg as the cradle of automotive engineering is closely entwined with the biography of the designer Ferdinand Porsche," commented Oettinger. "All of the things which had their origin in his fountain of creativity, and which were continued by his son Ferry, are shown in this unique collection of sportscars which can be displayed to the public in its full extent for the first time. This exhibition is a reflection of the Swabian art of engineering that has given the region a worldwide reputation."
"This is a big hit for Zuffenhausen," said Dr. Schuster after touring the museum. "The state capital has gained, in the form of the new Porsche museum, an additional, magical magnet for automobile fans from all over the world. At the same time the region can also add another attractive address for a wide variety of events. In this way, Stuttgart becomes a metropolis of the automobile – and one that everyone can enjoy."
