Meeresmuseum (Sea Museum) Stralsund

The Meeresmuseum (Sea Museum) in Stralsund is the original home of the German Oceanographic Museum foundation and a favorite stop on Germany's Baltic coast. It sits in the heart of Stralsund's UNESCO-listed old town inside a former medieval monastery: a fin whale skeleton hangs beneath the Gothic vaults of the old church, sea turtles glide through a huge tank, and an aquarium trail leads you into tropical reefs. After a complete modernization, the museum reopened in 2024 with new exhibitions and full accessibility.

History

Otto Dibbelt founded the museum in 1951 as a small natural history museum with terrariums and Baltic Sea tanks. In the 1970s the former St. Catherine's Church was converted into an exhibition hall, and the museum turned its focus to marine science and fisheries. Today it belongs to the German Oceanographic Museum foundation, which also runs the Ozeaneum on Stralsund's harbor. The main building closed at the end of 2020 for a major overhaul and reopened on July 17, 2024. In 2026 the museum celebrates its 75th anniversary with a special exhibition about its founder.

What to see

• St. Catherine's Hall: The Gothic church hall with a fin whale skeleton in the choir, a striking mix of medieval brick architecture and marine biology.
• Sea turtles: Their 350,000-liter (about 92,000-gallon) tank is a crowd favorite.
• Tropical aquarium trail: A walk through underwater worlds along the equator.
• Exhibitions: Topics include the origins of life, ocean biodiversity, human impact on the seas and fishing.
• The cutter "Adolf Reichwein": A fishing boat on display in the courtyard.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, the museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and until 7 p.m. in July and August. It closes only on December 24 and shuts early on December 31.

Admission is €20 for adults, €16 reduced and €12 for children aged 4 to 16; younger children enter free. The best deal is the combination ticket for the Ozeaneum, Meeresmuseum and Natureum at €35 for adults and €17 for children, valid for three months. Book a time slot online to skip lines in summer and on rainy days.

How to get there

Stralsund sits on the Baltic coast at the gateway to Rügen island, roughly three hours by train from Berlin or Hamburg. From Stralsund Hauptbahnhof, walk about 15 minutes into the old town. The visitor entrance is opposite Mönchstraße 45, and the step-free entrance is at Bielkenhagen 10. Regional trains accept the Deutschlandticket.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially with kids or on a rainy day. Allow about two hours. If you also want to see the Ozeaneum, plan the two museums for separate days or start early.

Nearby

• Ozeaneum: The modern ocean museum on the harbor, with Baltic and North Sea aquariums and life-size whale models, about a 10-minute walk away.
• Old Market Square and Town Hall: The ornate Brick Gothic facade is Stralsund's landmark.
• St. Mary's Church: Climb the tower for wide views over the city and the sound.