Speyer’s Technical Museum and December/January Market

51 weeks ago we had a great time at the transportation museum in Sinnsheim, and stopped in the town of Speyer on the way home. There we discovered the fabulous vegetarian vendor at the market- finally a healthy choice! We agreed to return for the technical museum in Speyer(Technik Museum), and finally did so. The anticipated 1 hour drive took longer due to traffic (someone else’s accident), but the ride home was quick.

If you decide to go to both museums, save your first set of entrance tickets for a discount at the second museum. After the clerk was done chiding me for not saving my tickets from 11 and ½ months ago, she forgot to tell me that there were “tokens” for sale for the musical instruments. We loved listening to the incongruous organs at the transportation museum, and looked forward to more at this one. If you plan on listening to more than 4 of them, please ask to purchase “Münzen”, which are 6 for 5 Euros. We didn’t see a sign about that until we had spent well past 5 Euros in coins on getting the different carousels, organs, etc. to play their tunes.

This museum has cars, planes, and military uniforms like the other museum, but also has a U-boat you can walk through, and a large collection of automated musical instruments in the building next door (Museum Wilhelmsbau), included in the admission. Don’t forget the tokens if you want to listen to more than 4 of them, such as an organ with built in drums, an accordion organ, a piano with built in violins (!) or just plain automated pianos! The parking cost us $2, and we did not sample the restaurant or the snack bar, as we were headed to the market! There is a large children’s play area, and an IMAX theater with shows in German.

Good thing we got to the market early this year, and stuffed ourselves with outstanding vegetarian food. I had rice with mushrooms in a cream sauce and mixed veggies with potatoes (50/50 plate of anything they have). Jeff had pasta and mixed vegetables. When we left a few hours later, they only had rice and veggies remaining, and pumpkin soup. Rest assured, there are plenty of meat vendors as well, along with fried dough, baguettes with garlic and/or tomatoes & cheese, etc.

There are many regular shops as well, some of which are unique from K-town. We plan to return before next December.