Peenemünde Historical Technical Museum

The Peenemünde Historical Technical Museum on the island of Usedom tells one of the most consequential and troubling stories of the 20th century. Here, at Germany's secret weapons research site, engineers developed the world's first cruise missile and the first large ballistic rocket, the V-1 and V-2, built largely by forced laborers. Housed in the vast former power station, the museum is a must for anyone interested in World War II, the origins of spaceflight and the moral questions behind technology.

Why Peenemünde matters

From 1936 to 1945 the Peenemünde research facilities were, according to the museum, the largest military research center in Europe, covering about 25 square kilometers and employing up to 12,000 people at a time. Under technical director Wernher von Braun, the army developed the A4 rocket (the "V-2"), while the air force tested the Fi 103 flying bomb (the "V-1") nearby. From 1944 both were fired at cities such as London and Antwerp. Serial production of the A4 took place in the underground Mittelbau-Dora factory, where thousands of concentration camp prisoners died.

After the war, Peenemünde specialists went on to work for the United States, the Soviet Union, Britain and France. Von Braun and many former colleagues later designed the Saturn V moon rocket for NASA. The exhibition confronts this legacy head-on, honoring the victims alongside the engineering story.

The museum opened on May 9, 1991, and has welcomed more than 6.5 million visitors. Its restoration of the power station won a Europa Nostra Award in 2013, and it is an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage.

What to see

• Permanent exhibition: traces rocketry from the space dreams of the 1920s through Peenemünde and Mittelbau-Dora to the Cold War.
• The power station: the last fully preserved building of the research site, open to explore, with media stations in the boiler house.
• Rooftop viewing platform: a glass elevator takes you 30 meters up for a view over the former restricted zone.
• Outdoor area: full-size replicas of the V-1 and V-2, coal cranes and historic vehicles.
• Monument landscape trail: a 25 km loop with 23 information stations across the Peenemünde peninsula. Much of the area is still contaminated with ordnance, so stay on marked paths.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, per the official website:

• April to September daily 10 am to 6 pm; October to March 10 am to 4 pm, closed Mondays from November to March.
• Adults €15, reduced €12, children from age 6 in a family group €2.50, including all exhibitions, the cinema and the rooftop platform.
• Audio guides in English, German, Polish, Swedish and French cost €3. Guided tours in English are available on request.

Allow two to three hours. The site is not fully barrier-free due to the historic building, but staff can help wheelchair users reach all exhibition areas. Dogs on a leash are allowed outdoors only.

How to get to Peenemünde

Peenemünde lies at the northern tip of Usedom on Germany's Baltic coast, roughly a three-hour drive from Berlin. By train, take Deutsche Bahn to Züssow and change to the island railway Usedomer Bäderbahn to Peenemünde station via Zinnowitz; the museum is a short walk away. The Deutschlandticket is valid on these regional trains. Drivers cross to the island at Wolgast; there is parking at the museum. It makes a good day trip from the seaside resorts of Usedom.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes. It is one of Germany's most important sites for understanding World War II technology and its human cost, presented soberly and in depth. Discuss the themes with children beforehand.

Nearby

• U-461 submarine museum: a walk-through Soviet-era submarine in Peenemünde harbor.
• Phänomenta: a hands-on science center for families.
• Karlshagen and Zinnowitz: wide sandy Baltic beaches a short drive away.