Klimahaus Bremerhaven

The Klimahaus Bremerhaven is a climate science center on the harbor front of Bremerhaven, in northern Germany, where you travel around the world in a single afternoon. Following one line of longitude, you walk through desert heat, tropical rainforest, Antarctic cold and a South Sea coral reef, feeling each climate on your skin. Additional exhibitions explain extreme weather and the future of our planet. It is one of the most visited science attractions in Germany and a strong choice for families.

Where it is and how to get there

Bremerhaven sits at the mouth of the Weser River on the North Sea, about 65 km (40 miles) north of Bremen. Regional trains connect Bremen Hauptbahnhof with Bremerhaven Hauptbahnhof in roughly 35 to 45 minutes, and the trip is covered by the Deutschlandticket. From Hamburg, allow about two hours by train with a change in Bremen, or a similar time by car.

From Bremerhaven Hauptbahnhof, buses 440, 502, 505, 506, 508 and 509 reach the Havenwelten stop in under ten minutes. If you drive, the Havenwelten parking garage sits directly beneath the building; it fills up quickly during school vacations.

The Journey along 8 degrees east

The main exhibition, simply called "Journey" (Reise), follows the meridian at 8° 34′ E, the same line of longitude on which Bremerhaven lies. Across roughly 5,000 square meters it leads to nine places on five continents, starting and ending in Bremerhaven:

• an Alpine farming family in Isenthal, Switzerland
• the village of Seneghe on Sardinia
• the desert around Kanak in Niger, at about 95°F (35°C)
• the rainforest of Ikenge, Cameroon
• Queen Maud Land in Antarctica, at about 21°F (-6°C)
• a coral reef off Satitoa, Samoa
• Gambell in Alaska and the tiny island of Hallig Langeness in the German Wadden Sea

At every stop you meet real people whose lives are shaped by local weather, while temperature, humidity, smells and sounds change around you. Three more exhibitions cover the history of climate change (Perspectives), hands-on solutions (World Future Lab) and Extreme Weather, opened in 2025 for a small surcharge.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, the Klimahaus is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed on January 1 and December 24, 25 and 31. A day ticket at the box office costs €25.50 for adults, €19.50 reduced and €15.50 for children aged 4 to 13; children under four enter free. Booking online at least a day ahead saves 10 to 20%. Tickets are for a time slot at entry, but there is no limit on how long you stay. Allow at least two to three hours for the Journey alone. A new audio guide (€3, about 50 minutes) features German scientist Antje Boetius and TV doctor Eckart von Hirschhausen; the official information does not mention an English version, so ask at the desk. Pets are not allowed except assistance dogs, and more than 90% of the route is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially with children or on a rainy North Sea day. Opened in 2009, the building's curving glass shell has become a symbol of Bremerhaven and even appears on a German two-euro commemorative coin, and the house reports more than seven million visitors so far. Few museums anywhere let you experience climate zones this directly.

Nearby

The German Emigration Center stands right next door and pairs perfectly with the Klimahaus for a full day. Across the plaza rises the Atlantic Hotel Sail City with a viewing platform, and the Zoo am Meer and the German Maritime Museum are a short walk away along the harbor and the Weser dike.