Anniversary exhibition “BMW ART CARS – 20 ARTISTS, 50 YEARS OF INNOVATION. REUNITED AT BMW WELT” concluded on 31 August with a record-breaking attendance of ove
The BMW Art Car exhibition at BMW Welt concluded with over 120,000 visitors, showcasing 50 years of the collection through 20 artworks, including Olafur Eliasson’s hydrogen-powered installation.
The anniversary exhibition at BMW Welt in Munich drew more than 120,000 visitors from 29 July to 31 August 2026, offering free access to the BMW Art Car Collection. The display spanned five decades, featuring works from Alexander Calder’s 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL to Julie Mehretu’s 2024 contribution. Olafur Eliasson’s ‘BMW H2R Project,’ based on a hydrogen-powered prototype, was presented as a complete installation for the fourth time since its 2007 debut.
A new digital initiative integrates five selected Art Cars into the BMW Panoramic iDrive system, allowing users to display their preferred artwork on the vehicle’s windscreen. The integration appears as widgets alongside other configurable information, making the collection accessible within the car’s interior. This marks the first time the Art Cars have been incorporated into production vehicles, expanding their reach beyond physical exhibitions.
The exhibition concluded the BMW Art Car World Tour, a global program celebrating the collection’s 50th anniversary with over 60 stops across more than 30 countries. The tour attracted more than two million visitors at major art fairs, museums, and motorsport events worldwide, including highlights like Art Basel Hong Kong and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Following the Munich exhibition, the collection continues to tour globally, with Robert Rauschenberg’s BMW Art Car #6 moving to the BMW Museum and Julie Mehretu’s Art Car #20 set for display in Cape Town. The latter will be part of the ‘Turning Towards the Sun’ exhibition at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa from December 2026 to August 2027.