permanent exhibition

Horch 14-17 PS Tonneau, replica

Horch crown and winged globe on radiator grill

Mechanical production with transmission

About 160 large sized and numerous small-sized exhibits are presented on an exhibition space of about 6 500 square metres.

A harmonic interplay of presentations and sceneries coins the exhibition, completed by multimedia terminals and historic documents.

The exhibition therefore opens with a replica of the Horch 14-17 PS, the model with which August Horch founded automobile construction in Zwickau in 1904.
As you proceed you will be fascinated by the Zwickau automotive design: the luxurious Audi and Horch cars of the 1920s and 1930s.

Learn more about the foundation and development of Auto Union all the way to war production during the course of World War II.
The exhibtion area in the office building provides an insight into the technology and mechanical production of the 1920s and 1930s.

Fully operational machinery, propelled by a single engine and transmission belts, together with a water brake for engine tests will take you back in time to where historical automobiles were produced.

The art of coachbuilding may be marveled at when inspecting a »cut away« Audi from 1935.

 

The basement of the museum begins with the first waves of individual motorisation in the 1920s and 30s, mainly portrayed with DKW and Wanderer automobiles and motorcycles in a street scenery.

The extension of the road network and the increasing holiday offers of the 1930s led to an increasing mobility during the summer and winter months alike.

This theme is illustrated by cars placed in a picnic- and Autobahn-scenery as well as by a winter setting.
Mobility and leisure time in the 1930s
Pit stop for the Auto Union racing cars
The expansion building begins with the racing of the late 1920s and 1930s: Have a seat at the grandstand of the race course and enjoy the video presentation about the history of the "Silberpfeile"!

The Auto Union type C and type D racing cars are already lined up and a streamline racing car is being rolled off the transporter.

The next theme is automotive production after 1945. To begin with you will find the immediate postwar products such as a malt-mill and a pedal car. Zwickau's publicly owned automobile production initially also featured lorries and tractors.
One millionth Trabant from 1973
Shelled VW Phaeton and car body of a Bentley Bentayga
As you proceed the Trabant takes centre stage. You will encounter it as you walk up the "holiday road" or as you discover the zeitgeist in a typical GDR bungalow.

It is possible to tune a virtual Trabant or to drive a real Trabant through a computer simulated city.

The production line for the Duroplast - the Trabant's manifold patented Duroplast car body - is also unique.

Prototypes that were developed by VEB Sachsenring can be found in the exhibition, as well as rally versions, the Trabant 1.1 or the last Trabant.
But how did production continue after the political changes in 1989/1990?

This leads to the present with Volkswagen Sachsen, the supply industry and the engineering offices.

Zwickau remains the main pillar of the Auto land Saxony to this day. A VW Golf Citystromer, a shot at VW Phaeton and a Bentley Bentayga car body and other VW can be marveled at.

With a VW Golf Wörthersee from 2017, the exhibition virtually concludes in present days.
The virtual tour will give you a more visual impression of the exhibition.

The August Horch Mansion can be visited upon request. Please inquire at the cashier's desk. A museum attendant will accompany you to the former industrialist's mansion.

The exhibition – except the August Horch Mansion – is accessible for wheelchairs.