WIESBADEN, Germany - When we first walked into the Zeppelin Museum, the museum’s small size caused me to think my 6-year-old son might whip through it in 20 minutes.
Thankfully, I was wrong. The museum’s rooms were so packed full of interesting displays we spent nearly an hour and a half there. Just when I thought we had seen it all, another display captivated us.
The museum is located in Zeppelinheim, a small village near the Frankfurt Airport. When the airport opened in 1936, zeppelins started their transatlantic flights from the facility, according to the museum’s website. The German Zeppelin Airline built Zeppelinheim for the ground and flight crews.
Models and more
The museum’s exhibits include several zeppelin models, a zeppelin engine, mannequins wearing uniforms, a reconstruction of a passenger deck, documents, videos and much more. Although many of the pictures and videos show zeppelins with swastikas on them, swastikas are not included on the models.
My 9-year-old son frequently called my husband and me over to show us intriguing exhibits he had found, including one on the Hindenburg, which took off from Frankfurt and caught on fire over Lakehurst, N.J. The disaster killed 36 people and ended the zeppelin era.
The four of us watched several videos about zeppelins in awe. The videos showed crews building the huge airships, as well as zeppelins in flight. The Hindenburg, for example, was more than 800 feet long.
The museum also hosts events. The museum has an activity and handicraft day scheduled for Feb. 25, and a special exhibition called “German advertising airships through the ages” that starts March 16, according to the museum’s website.
Zeppelin rides
For anyone interested in a zeppelin ride, a brochure at the museum informs people about Zeppelin NT. The company offers rides in a contemporary, 246-feet-long zeppelin. Prices start at €200 per person for a 30-minute ride, according to the company’s website.
The museum is open 2-5 p.m. Fridays and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The address for navigation systems is Kapitän-Lehmannstr. 2, 63263 Neu-Isenburg/Zeppelinheim.
Learn more about the museum at www.zeppelin-museum-zeppelinheim.de.
Learn more about Zeppelin NT at www.zeppelin-nt.de.
For general information about zeppelins visit www.airships.net.