150 years of TUM

TUM celebrated a very special anniversary in 2018. Founded in 1868, TUM is now playing in the top league 150 years later. Today, it is one of the best universities in Europe. Discover exciting stories and interesting retrospectives on the anniversary year.

Collage featuring various personalities and objects that played a role in the 150th anniversary of TUM in 2018.

Founded by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, its original purpose was “to bring the igniting spark of science” to the commercial and industrial world. Over the course of more than 150 years, it has produced important Nobel Prize winners, scientists and entrepreneurs. They are all united by their passion for the natural and technical sciences and medicine.

In 2018, our anniversary year, we demonstrated in many different ways what our culture of excellence means, what we stand for and what makes us special. On this page, we have summarized the most important content and impressions for you.

Anniversary stories

Insights into over 150 years of entrepreneurial spirit

TUM has been characterized by curiosity and a founding spirit for more than 150 years. From the refrigerator to robots with feeling to the sandwich molecule – researchers have made numerous inventions and discoveries during this time that are still influential today. Read our anniversary stories, which were published on a dedicated website in 2018.

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Video portrait: 150 years culture of excellence

Watch the film portrait to see what makes TUM one of the best universities in Europe.

In our YouTube playlist you will find a detailed review of the anniversary year as well as impressions of the 2018 Open Day and other events that particularly shaped the year.

YouTube playlist for the anniversary

Alumni worldwide

We stay in touch worldwide with our network, events and offers for alumni and alumnae.

Alumni of the TUM

Global network

We maintain partnerships with universities around the world and promote the exchange of researchers and students.

Locations worldwide

Donations and sponsorship

Every contribution helps to promote talent and address big challenges. You can support us in many ways.

Promote the TUM

A vibrant community

Our university connects people across cultures, disciplines and generations. Find suitable offers!

Community

Collage of a golden angel statue holding a torch

Thank you!

Our heartfelt thanks go to all those who support TUM. Numerous alumni, friends of TUM, companies and foundations have donated to the university foundation to mark our anniversary.

We look forward to your continued support: show social responsibility and help us to promote talent and expand our scope of action.

Donate now

Concert hall of the Philharmonic Orchestra in Munich's Gasteig cultural center with visitors, orchestra, and choir. The Advent matinee also marks the start of celebrations for the anniversary of TUM's founding. — The advent concerts at the Philharmonie in December 2017 marked the start of the celebrations for the anniversary year 2018.

Image gallery

Impressions from the anniversary year

On April 12, 1868, today's Technical University of Munich was founded by Ludwig II, King of Bavaria. Numerous events were held to mark the 150th anniversary, such as the staff party and the May Festival of the student representation, "maiTUM".

On April 12, 2018, a festive event in the Herkulessaal of the Residenz reminded the invited guests from science, politics, business, culture and society of this momentous milestone.

Wolfgang A. Herrmann speaks into a microphone. Behind him is a presentation with the words “150 years of culture of excellence.” — During the annual academic ceremony, Dies Academicus, in December 2017, Wolfgang A. Herrmann presented an overview of the anniversary program.

Screen presentation of the stamp produced to mark the 150th anniversary of the Technical University of Munich. The presentation took place in 2018 during a ceremony in the Hercules Hall of the Munich Residence. — On April 12, 2018, a ceremony attended by numerous guests from politics and society took place in the Hercules Hall of the Residenz. Part of the program was the presentation of the stamp produced to mark the 150th anniversary.

Olaf Scholz, Anouschka Horn, Markus Söder, and Wolfgang A. Herrmann (from left to right) stand together on a stage; Söder and Herrmann hold open folders in their hands. The occasion is the 2018 ceremony marking the 150th anniversary of the Technical University of Munich in the Hercules Hall of the Munich Residence. — Olaf Scholz, 2018 Federal Minister of Finance and Vice Chancellor under Angela Merkel, BR presenter Anouschka Horn, Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder and Wolfgang A. Herrmann (from left to right) look at the stamps in their original size.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier with male students from the TUM Hyperloop research program. Steinmeier spoke at the ceremony marking the 150th anniversary of the Technical University of Munich in the Hercules Hall of the Munich Residence. — With a glass of JubilaTUM, the anniversary beer from the TUM research brewery, President Steinmeier visits the WARR Hyperloop team to find out about the status of the project.

Angela Merkel live on a screen. She speaks in 2018 at the ceremony marking the 150th anniversary of the Technical University of Munich in the Hercules Hall of the Munich Residence. — Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2018, live during the ceremony.

Installation of the exhibition “Zeitlupe” (Slow Motion) in the TUM matriculation hall with one female visitor and two male visitors. — The installation in the matriculation hall showed 15 decades of TUM.

Ferris wheel and beer tables with guests at the “maiTUM” festival on the Garching campus to celebrate the anniversary year 2018. — On May 3 and 4, 2018, the student council organized a traditional bavarian may day celebration with Oktoberfest music. The “maiTUM” was part of the anniversary program and took place together with the employee party in Garching – with an impressive view of the campus from a ferris wheel.

President Emeritus Wolfgang A. Herrmann, acting TUM President in the anniversary year 2018, and Chancellor Albert Berger (right) with students using a selfie stick in the marquee at the staff party in the anniversary year 2018, behind them numerous guests on beer benches. — President Emeritus Wolfgang A. Herrmann, acting TUM President in the anniversary year 2018, and Chancellor Albert Berger (right) with students at the staff party on the Garching campus.

Exterior facade of the main campus of TUM in downtown Munich. Blue banners with white lettering commemorating the university's 150th anniversary in 2018 hang on the walls. — Colorful banners adorned the exterior facade of the main building in the city center to mark the anniversary.

President Wolfgang A. Herrmann and Senior Executive Vice President Albert Berger (left) place a wreath at the tomb of Karl Max von Bauernfeind. — President Wolfgang A. Herrmann and Senior Executive Vice President Albert Berger (left) place a wreath at the tomb of Karl Max von Bauernfeind in Munich's Old North Cemetery. Karl Max von Bauernfeind was the first Director of what is today the Technical University of Munich (TUM). He had just turned 50 when he opened the new "Polytechnic School Munich" in 1868. Thus TUM's 150th anniversary year also marked the 200th anniversary of Bauernfeind's birth.

Special exhibition on the history of the “Technische Hochschule München” (today's Technical University of Munich) during the National Socialist era in the Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism. On display are black-and-white photographs and informational texts. — From May 17 to August 26, 2018, the Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism presented a special exhibition on the history of the “Technische Hochschule München” (today's Technical University of Munich) during the National Socialist era. The exhibition documented personal and institutional changes, as well as the appropriation of the Hochschule’s resources for armaments and war preparations.

DLR 2018, TerraSAR-X Scientific Proposal NM_xiao.zhu_LAN2188

On June 12th 2018 scientists set up 26 reflectors on the southern lawn of the Alte Pinakothek Museum. The TerraSAR-X satellite, which flew over Munich that day, perceived the reflectors as glowing dots that made up the TUM logo appearing on the radar image.

Exhibition hall with objects from the exhibition “Visionaries and Everyday Heroes. Engineers – Building – the Future,” which was on display in the TUM immatriculation hall from July 6 to August 31, 2018. — Engineers play the starring roles in the exhibition Visionaries and Everyday Heroes. Engineers – Building – the Future (“Visionäre und Alltagshelden. Ingenieure – Bauen – Zukunft”) which was on display in the TUM enrollment hall from July 6 to August 31, 2018.

Prof. Dr. Andres Lepik, Professor of Architectural History and Curatorial Practice and Director of the Museum of Architecture, Prof. Marion Kiechle, 2018 Minister of State for Science and the Arts, President Emeritus Wolfgang A. Herrmann, acting TUM President in the anniversary year 2018, and Senior Executive Vice President Albert Berger stand behind a replica of a historic building in the Architecture Museum. — Exhibition opening at the Architekturmuseum der TUM (Museum of Architecture)of “Royal Palaces and Factories. Ludwig II and Architecture,” with Prof. Dr. Andres Lepik, Professor of Architectural History and Curatorial Practice and Director of the Museum of Architecture, Prof. Marion Kiechle, 2018 Minister of State for Science and the Arts, President Emeritus Wolfgang A. Herrmann, acting TUM President in the anniversary year 2018, and Senior Executive Vice President Albert Berger (from left to right).

Guests at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. — 150 years later Wagner's opera is thus the ideal piece for a musical anniversary celebration for the members and friends of TUM.

Members of the Bavarian State Opera ensemble on stage during a performance of Richard Wagner's opera “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.” — The Bavarian State Opera ensemble gave an exclusive performance of Richard Wagner's opera “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” as a “birthday present” for members and friends of TUM.

Several children are sitting at a table working on an electrical circuit. Several adults are watching. — The open house also took place in the anniversary year 2018. For the first time, all locations invited visitors at the same time.

President Emeritus Wolfgang A. Herrmann, acting TUM President in the anniversary year 2018, gives a speech at the annual academic celebration “Dies Academicus” in 2018. In the background, a presentation with photos of Nobel Prize winner Ernst Otto Fischer can be seen. — At the annual academic ceremony “Dies Academicus” 2018, President Emeritus Wolfgang A. Herrmann, acting TUM President in the anniversary year, spoke about the great achievements of scientists at the university, such as former TUM professor and 1973 Nobel Prize winner in chemistry Ernst Otto Fischer.

FoTUMat

Anniversary greetings

Many people sent their own personal anniversary greetings to the university in 2018 and congratulated it on a scientific achievement, a personality or an experience from their studies.

Our photo box, the FoTUMat, worked like a digital photo booth and was on tour in Munich, Garching and Weihenstephan.

Photo of a young woman forming her hands into a heart shape, accompanied by the words “HBD TUM.” The photo was taken in a photo booth set up at various TUM locations to mark the anniversary year 2018.

Photo of four young women with the word “Ackerdemiker” written on it. The photo was taken in a photo booth that was set up at various locations at TUM to mark the anniversary year 2018.

Photo of two young women forming the numbers 1 and 5 with their hands, with the caption “...Happy 150th birthday!”. The photo was taken in a photo booth that was set up at various locations at TUM to mark the anniversary year 2018.

Snapshot of five young people in a photo booth with the words “Happy 150th Birthday.” These were set up at various locations at TUM to mark the anniversary year in 2018.

The TUM Shop

A large variety of merchandising articles, conference materials and other products in corporate design can be found in the Online-Shop or the TUM-Shop located at the downtown campus.

TUM-Shop

Flagship Store
Arcisstraße 21, Room 0134 (on the right side after the main entrance),
Open: Mo - Fr 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.; site plan

Further stores in:

Freising-Weihenstephan
TUM Science & Study Center Raitenhaslach (Burghausen)

Chronicle

In its more than 150-year history, our university has been part of historical changes. Time and again, it has also driven and shaped reforms and redesigns in university organization and policy.

To the chronicle

History

The history of TUM begins in 1868 with the founding of the "Polytechnic School" by King Ludwig II. In 1877 it is renamed the "Technical University" and in 1970 the "Technical University of Munich".

The history