Mercedes' Promising New Figure Exits Stage
The Mercedes-Benz Center, a modern and representative house of the Mercedes-Benz brand that opened in 2006, will be closing its doors by the end of 2025. The imposing building, located in Cologne-Braunsfeld, has been a landmark, with its widely visible, rotating Mercedes star, attracting car enthusiasts and visitors alike.
Upon its opening, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche described the center as a "gallery of engineering art". Spanning approximately 11,400 square meters, the light-flooded glass building featured sales and experience space, a bistro, shops, a large screen, and all important model ranges. However, the number of parking spaces was already tight in 2006, creating a practical problem for the facility.
Mercedes-Benz is abandoning the location due to the building no longer meeting the standards with which the company is realigning its car dealerships worldwide. The company is focusing on digitized processes and clearly structured spaces instead of large showrooms.
Starting from April 2026, the imposing structure will be occupied by a family entertainment center called Exploradom. The new occupant will replace car models such as AMG, S-classes, and G-classes that were once showcased in the Mercedes-Benz Center.
Exploradom will be a family entertainment center (FEC) that encompasses over 30,000 square meters, featuring education, experience worlds, digital learning modules, and co-working spaces. Families will wander through digital learning worlds instead of viewing Mercedes-Benz vehicles at the location.
The move into the former Mercedes-Benz Center location was necessary due to the Mercedes-Benz Center's closure. The building was initially designed to present vehicles and create an experience world, but modernizations would have required extensive structural interventions that were no longer desired.
The Mercedes-Benz Center's lease will expire at the end of 2025, marking the end of the company's presence at the location. The Exploradom will move into the building, which was previously the Odysseum in Cologne-Kalk. However, there is no available information about when the building will be rented out by Exploradom.
The closing of the Mercedes-Benz Center signifies a new beginning for the imposing structure that once housed the Mercedes-Benz Center. The rotating Mercedes star, a prominent feature of the building, will likely continue to shine, but its purpose will change, guiding families through a world of digital learning and entertainment.
