International Maritime Museum Hamburg

The International Maritime Museum Hamburg (Internationales Maritimes Museum, IMMH) fills nine floors of a historic red-brick warehouse with ship models, paintings, navigation instruments and naval history. It sits between the UNESCO-listed Speicherstadt and the modern HafenCity district, so it fits neatly into a day of exploring Hamburg's waterfront. For anyone fascinated by ships, it is one of the best things to do in Hamburg, especially on a rainy afternoon.

Where it is and how to get there

The museum occupies Kaispeicher B, Koreastraße 1, on the Magdeburger Hafen basin. From Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, take the U4 subway (or the U1 to Meßberg) and walk a few minutes; the U4 stop Überseequartier is about 450 meters away. Bus 111 stops at Koreastraße, close to the entrance. Hamburg's local transport network accepts the Deutschlandticket. From Hamburg Airport, ride the S1 to the main station and change to the U4. Hamburg itself is about two hours from Berlin by ICE train.

The building and the collection

Kaispeicher B was built in 1878-79 and is considered the oldest surviving warehouse in Hamburg, about a decade older than the Speicherstadt buildings around it. Its neo-Gothic brick facade set the style for the whole warehouse district.

The museum grew out of the private collection of Hamburg collector Peter Tamm, which he had shown by appointment since 1991. With support from the city, the warehouse was restored and the museum opened in 2008. Today the exhibition covers about 12,000 square meters, arranged by "deck," each devoted to a theme: navigation, sailing ships, shipbuilding, naval history, merchant and passenger shipping, ocean research and marine painting.

Highlights

• Miniature fleets: more than 50,000 ship models, most at a scale of 1:1250.
• Bone ships: 35 delicate models carved from bone, the largest private collection of its kind.
• Navigation: sextants, globes, charts and other instruments.
• Marine art: paintings of harbors, storms and sea battles.
• The giant propeller: a huge ship's screw outside the entrance, a favorite photo spot.

Note that the museum's presentation of naval history, including Kriegsmarine uniforms, has drawn criticism for not addressing militarism and colonialism critically enough.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, the museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It closes on December 24 and 31, plus a few other dates such as November 20, 2026.

• Adults: €18
• Reduced (students, seniors and others): €13
• Children under 6: free
• Family ticket (2 adults and up to 4 children aged 6-17): €38
• Late-afternoon ticket from 4:30 p.m.: €9

Buy tickets online or at the desk. Public tours cost €3 extra and are booked at the ticket desk; visitor information on the website is in German only, so ask at the desk about English options. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Is it worth visiting?

If you love ships, absolutely; plan two to three hours. All decks are accessible by two elevators, there is an accessible restroom, and free lockers (with a €1 deposit) are provided for bags and coats. Afterward, stroll across to the Speicherstadt or walk west to the Elbphilharmonie.