Germany: Museum ships and maritime museums from A to Z

Dozens of museum ships and maritime museums offer an insight into various aspects of the past: labour, trade, rescue, sport and even war. Some of these veterans stand alone on the water, others are moored together with others to furnish historic harbours. Many are part of a maritime museum - or even house one on board. The ships that are still ready to sail are often present at festive events. Our list shows where they can be found - and could possibly become a stopover or two when planning your next cruise.

If we have overlooked a museum ship or maritime museum, please write to us so that we can complete the list. Please send emails to: redaktion@yacht.de. Subject: Museum ships

Berlin

• Historic harbour: with many large historical exhibits, including the Large ploughman's barge "Kurier" (1924), who Rear wheel tractor "Jesenicky" (1956) and the Passenger ship "Heinrich Zille (1896). www.historischer-hafen-berlin.com
• German Museum of Technology: with a large exhibition on the history of seafaring entitled "Lebenswelt Schiff". Additional themed areas on water sports between the Havel and Spree with many historic pleasure craft and on inland shipping between the Elbe and Oder. www.technikmuseum.berlin
• Miniature sailing frigate "Royal Louise" on a scale of 1:3 (1999; replica of the original from 1832). www.royal-louise.de

Borkum

• Lightship "Borkumriff" (1956) with a technical and natural history exhibition on the Wadden Sea National Park. www.nationalparkschiff-borkum.de

Burgstaaken

• Sea rescue cruiser "Arwed Emminghaus" (26 m class; 1965). www.seenotrettungsmuseum-fehmarn.de
• German submarine "U-11" (Class 205; 1969). www.ostsee-u-boot.de
• Sea rescue boat "Eduard Nebelthau" (12 m class; 1972) at the harbour in Burgtiefe

Bremen

• Sea rescue cruiser "Paul Denker" (17 m class; 1967). www.focke-museum.de

Bremerhaven

• German Maritime Museum: with an extensive exhibition and large exhibits in the museum harbour. These include the Whaling boat "Rau IX" (1939) and the Lightship "Elbe 3" (1909). www.dsm.museum
• Steam icebreaker "Whale" (1938). Travelling bookable. www.schiffahrts-compagnie.de
• Fishing motor vessel "Gera", side trawler (1961). www.museumsschiff-gera.de
• Sailing training ship "Deutschland"steel full-rigged ship (1929). www.schulschiff-deutschland.de
• Wilhelm Bauer" submarine (Ex-"U-2540"; Type XXI, 1945). www.u-boot-wilhelm-bauer.de
• German Emigration Centre: The museum deals with the fate of 7.2 million emigrants overseas. www.dah-bremerhaven.de

Büsum

• Museum harbour with the Sea rescue boat "Rickmer Bock" (1944) and the Crab cutter "Fahrewohl" (1912). www.museumshafen-buesum.de

Cuxhaven

• Wind force 10: Wreck and fishing museum. Multimedia exhibition on the dangers and challenges of seafaring. www.windstaerke10.net
• Lightship "Elbe 1" (1948). www.feuerschiff-elbe-1.de

Duisburg

• Museum of German Inland Navigation: with Side-wheel tugboat "Oscar Huber" (1922), Bucket chain steam excavator "Minden" (1882) and Crane ship "Fendel 147" (1922). www.binnenschifffahrtsmuseum.de

Dresden

• Passenger fleet of the Saxon Steamship Company with nine historical Side wheel steamersincluding "Diesbar" with the oldest steam engine in service in the world (1884), "Dresden" (1926) and "Town of Wehlen" (1879). www.saechsische-dampfschifffahrt.de
• Military History Museum of the German Armed Forces: with exhibits such as a reconstruction of the "Fire diver" (first German diving boat from 1850). www.mhmbw.de

Emden

• Lightship "Amrumbank" (1914). www.amrumbank.de
• Rescue cruiser "Georg Breusing" (26 m class; 1963). www.georg-breusing.de
• Herring logger "AE 7" (1908). Guided tours by telephone arrangement for a donation. www.heringslogger.de/geschichte

Flensburg

• Maritime museum and museum harbour. www.museumshafen-flensburg.de
• Salon steamer "Alexandra" (1908; fjord and special trips). www.dampfer-alexandra.de
• Yachting Heritage Centre. Founded by the owner of the Robbe & Berking silver manufactory and the shipyard of the same name, the museum provides information about international yachting history in changing exhibitions and houses the world's largest collection of German-language books on the subject, which are also open to the interested public. www.classic-yachts.com

Hamburg

• International Maritime Museum: The extensive collection is on display in the historic Kaispeicher B. www.imm-hamburg.de
• German Harbour Museum (under construction) with an exhibition on the history of the harbour as a working environment through the ages. Several museum ships, including the Four-masted barque "Peking (1911), who Shield vapour extractor "Suction IV" (1909) and the Floating crane "Saatsee" (1917). www.shmh.de/deutsches-hafenmuseum
• Emigration Museum Ballinstadt: The exhibition commemorates the millions of people who left Europe via the port of Hamburg, mostly bound for the United States. www.ballinstadt.de
• Museum harbour Övelgönne: wide variety of historic workboats and ships, such as the Bergedorf" harbour ferry (1955), who Steam tug "Woltman" (1904), which Lightship "Elbe 3" (1988) and the Steam icebreaker "Stettin" (1933). www.museumshafen-oevelgoenne.de
• Sandtor harbour with traditional ships like the Fairplay VIII" tugboat and the Fireboat "Repsold" (1941). www.sandtorhafen.de
• General cargo ship "Cap San Diego" (1961). www.capsandiego.de
• Bark "Rickmer Rickmers" (1896). www.rickmer-rickmers.de
• Soviet submarine "U-434" (Ex-"B-515", Tango class; 1976). www.u-434.de
• General cargo freighter "Bleichen" (1958). www.ms-bleichen.de
• State steamer "Schaarhörn" (1908). www.schaarhoern.de
• Refrigerated ship "Stubnitz" of the GDR fishing fleet (1964). www.stubnitz.com

Hard in Austria

• Historical boat trip on Lake Constance with the Motorised passenger ship "Oesterreich" (1928) and the Paddle steamer "Hohentwiel" (1913). www.hs-bodensee.eu

Haren (Ems)

• Maritime museum with the Wadden motor vessel "Thea Angela" (1929), the Steam tug "August" (1910) and the Spitzpünte "Helene" (1890). www.heimatverein-haren.de

Heikendorf

• Möltenort submarine memorial: Memorial to the German submariners who died in both world wars and all victims of the submarine war. www.ubootehrenmal.de

Husum

• North Friesland Maritime Museum with the Hildegard" buoy layer (1907). www.schiffahrtsmuseum-nf.de

Keel

• City and Maritime Museum Fischhalle: on Kiel's history as a shipyard, naval and sailing centre. Three museum ships: Buzzard" buoy layer (1906), Rescue cruiser "Hindenburg" (1944), Fireboat "Kiel" (1941). www.kiel.de

Koblenz

• Paddle wheel passenger ship "Goethe" (1913), still in regular service on the "Nostalgia Route" between Koblenz and Rüdesheim. www.k-d.com

Laboe

• Naval memorial: Memorial and memorial site, maritime history exhibition. With viewing platform at a height of 85 metres. In front of it is the Deep-sea submersible "U-995" (Type VII C/41; 1943) was set up. www.deutscher-marinebund.de

Lauenburg

• Side-wheel steamer "Kaiser Wilhelm" (1900). www.raddampfer-kaiser-wilhelm.de

Empty

• Postal and passenger steamer "Prinz Heinrich" (1909). www.prinz-heinrich-leer.de

List/Sylt

• Forces of Nature Experience Centre: Multimedia exhibition on the history of the island of Sylt as a habitat that has been shaped and moulded by the sea. www.naturgewalten-sylt.de

Lübeck

• Museum harbour with many working and traditional ships, for example the Rixdorf" motorised tug (1935), who Cargo ship "De Oude Snik" (1913) or the Bucket chain excavator "Wels" (1936). www.museumshafen-luebeck.org
• Lightship "Fehmarnbelt" (1908). Rides possible. www.fsfehmarnbelt.de
• Four-masted barque "Passat (1911) on the Priwall in Lübeck-Travemünde. www.ss-passat.com

Magdeburg

• Chain tug "Gustav Zeuner" (1894). www.kettendampfer-magdeburg.de
• Side-wheel tugboat "Württemberg" (1909). www.sd-wuerttemberg.de

Mainz

• Museum of Ancient Navigation: including the restored wrecks of Roman Rhine ships. Currently closed for renovation work, reopening in 2024. www.mainz.de > Ancient shipping

Mannheim

• Side-wheel steamer "Mannheim" (1927), part of the Technoseum's exhibition on inland navigation and the natural environment of the Neckar. www.technoseum.de

Monheim on the Rhine

• Aalschokker "Fiat Voluntas" (1937) with the Eel Fishing Museum. www.monheim.de

Munich

• German Museum: with the first submarine of the Imperial Navy, the Petrol-Diving boat "U 1" (1906), the Sea rescue cruiser "Theodor Heuss" (ex-"H. H. Meier", 23.2 m class; 1960) and the Sea rescue boat "Asmus Bremer" (8.5 m class, 1987). www.deutsches-museum.de

Norderney

• Sea rescue cruiser "Otto Schülke" (19 metre class; 1969). Not on view until 2024. www.otto-schuelke.de

Oderberg

• Side-wheel steamer "Riesa" (1897) of the Inland Navigation Museum. www.bs-museum-oderberg.de

Peenemünde

• Soviet missile submarine "U-461" (Ex-"K-24", Juliett class; 1965). www.u-461.de
• Missile corvette "Hans Beimler" of the People's Navy (Tarantul class; 1986). www.peenemuende.de

Rechlin

• Small torpedo speedboat "925" of the Volksmarine (Libelle class; 1975) in the Rechlin Aviation Museum. The exhibition also covers the history of the local shipyard, which produced lifeboats and sports boats during the GDR era. www.luftfahrttechnisches-museum-rechlin.de

Regensburg

• Danube Maritime Museum: with the Side-wheel tugboat "Ruthof" (1923) and the Twin screw motor tug "Freudenau" (1942). www.schiffahrtsmuseum-regensburg.de

Rostock

• Rostock Maritime Museum with the General cargo freighter "MS Dresden" (Type IV freighter; 1958). The maritime industry and shipbuilding in the GDR take centre stage. www.schifffahrtsmuseum-rostock.de

Saarbrücken

• Tugboat "Anna Léonie (1926). www.fischereiverband-saar.de

Sassnitz

• British submarine "HMS Otus" (Oberon class; 1962). www.hms-otus.com

Schleswig

• Nydamboot: A rowing vessel discovered in 1863 (around 340 AD), on display in the Museum of Archaeology at Gottorf Castle. www.museum-fuer-archaeologie.de

Speyer

• Speyer Museum of Technology: with a series of large-scale shipping exhibits such as the Rescue cruiser "John T. Essberger" (44 m class; 1975), the Submarine "U-9" (class 205; 1964) and "U-17" (Class 206 A; 1972, on view from 2024) and the Diesel Rhine tug "Glarus (1907). www.speyer.technik-museum.de

Stade

• Coaster "Greundiek" (1950). www.greundiek.de

Stralsund

• Ozeaneum: Aquarium and adventure exhibition on the northern seas. www.ozeaneum.de
• Nautineum: Branch of the German Maritime Museum on the island of Dänholm between the mainland and Rügen, which is currently closed for renovation work. However, the Nautineum is open. Focal points: Marine research, hydrology and sea waterways. www.nautineum.de
• Naval Museum: also on the Dänholm, with the small Torpedo speedboat "924" of the Volksmarine (Libelle class; 1975). www.stralsund-museum.de
• Sailing training ship "Gorch Fock" (1933). www.gorchfock1.de

Lower Weser

• Lower Weser Maritime Museum, Brake and Elsfleth. At two locations, the museum provides insights into the region's shipping history, from long-distance trade to maritime traditions on the Lower Weser. Themed tours round off the programme. www.schifffahrtsmuseum-unterweser.de

Waren (Müritz)

• Müritzeum: Adventure exhibition with aquariums on the nature of the Mecklenburg Lake District and the Müritz National Park. www.mueritzeum.de

Wilhelmshaven

• German Naval Museum: History of all German naval forces since 1848. The following large exhibits can be seen in the harbour area: Guided missile destroyer "Mölders" (Lütjens class; 1967), High-speed missile boat "Gepard" (Cheetah class; 1982), Minehunting boat "Weilheim" (Lindau class; 1959), Submarine "U-10" (Class 205; 1967), small torpedo speedboat "952" of the Volksmarine (Libelle class; 1976). www.marinemuseum.de

Wismar

• Cog "Wissemara"Reconstruction and replica of the wreck of the "Poeler Kogge" (14th century) found in 1999. Cruises bookable. www.poeler-kogge.de

Wolgast

• Railway steam ferry "Stralsund" (1890). www.dampffaehrschiff-wolgast.org

Zehdenick

• Large Finow barge "Carola" (1916) with the exhibition of the Schiffermuseum Zehdenick. Currently closed for renovation work.

Also interesting:

• For the harbour day - 10 maritime museums worth seeing
• Bone ships: The gruesome story behind the ship models made from animal bones