Honestly, when S first told me about Miniatur Wunderland and how it was the largest model railway…read morecollection in the world - it wasn't a place that I felt super enthusiastic about visiting during our time in Germany. Another couple joined us for the Hamburg portion of our trip and they really wanted to go, so I agreed. I'm a believer now! This place is fun for all ages. As someone who prides myself in my skillset re: "attention to detail", this place has me beat and I'm totally impressed. Come early to beat the crowds. It does get pretty crowded in there.
You definitely need at least 3-4 hours here, and can probably spend the entire day too if you want. They have lockers for your stuff, and a place to grab a bite to eat on-site. Reservations are a must! We were pretty late in booking our tickets so ended up spending an extra 10 euros to buy the "virtual reality" experience in order to get an any time entry ticket. The 10 min VR experience was pretty meh, so only choose this option as a last resort.