Travel Back in Time with the Pioneering Spirit

At the location of one of the take-off points of the German automobile, the August Horch Museum Zwickau is now a place of living history and innovation. In the historical halls of the first Audi factory, visitors experience over 120 years of automotive construction history – impressive and interactive in the heart of west Saxony. 
By Sigrid Riewe-Scholz

What started off as an idea in 1975 and opened with 14 vehicles in a converted cafeteria in 1988, is now a non-profit organization of trans-regional importance. The city of Zwickau and AUDI AG have held shares in the museum since 2000 – with the objective of preserving the region’s automobile roots and bringing them to life.

Whether Horch, DKW or IFA – the museum exhibits technical milestones and tells the stories behind them: from the replica of a historical petrol station to August Horch’s original office and production plant dating from the pre-war years and the GDR. Visitors immerse themselves in the social, political and economic context in which the automobile originated and developed.

Apart from collecting and restoring vintage vehicles, the museum’s committed team of full-time and voluntary staff present everything in a personal and lively manner, enabling school classes, tourists, automobile clubs and international guests to discover a world of knowledge and their passion for engineering. 

The August Horch Museum is much more than a collection of old cars: it is a place where  the region’s cultural heritage is preserved, history is rendered tangible, and enthusiasm for technology is re-kindled.