Rickmer Rickmers Museum Ship

The Rickmer Rickmers is a green three-masted sailing ship from 1896 that now serves as a museum ship at the St. Pauli Landungsbrücken in Hamburg. It is one of the best things to do in Hamburg's harbor: you can go aboard, explore an exhibition on a deck of about 800 square meters and, on Saturdays, even climb the rigging. The Landungsbrücken is also where harbor ferries and harbor tours start, so it is easy to combine.

A ship with many lives

The ship was launched in August 1896 at the Rickmers shipyard in Geestemünde, now part of Bremerhaven. It began life as a full-rigged ship. After it lost its mizzenmast in a storm in 1904, it was converted to a barque in Cape Town to save costs. Over the years it carried several names: Max (from 1912), Flores (from 1916) and Sagres (from 1924), when it served as a Portuguese navy training ship. After 1962 it was a depot ship called Santo André.

In 1983 the association "Windjammer für Hamburg" acquired the ship by trading a yacht for it. After restoration, it has been a museum ship at the Landungsbrücken ever since.

Key facts

• Length: 97.0 meters (about 318 feet), beam 12.19 meters
• Tonnage: 2,007 gross register tons
• Crew: 21 during active service
• Sail area: about 2,600 square meters as a full-rigged ship
• Mast height: about 54 meters after restoration

What you can do on board

The main deck covers about 800 square meters and tells the story of the ship's four phases of life. The "Galerie unter der Elbe" shows changing maritime art; from October 23 to December 6, 2026, it presents the work of ARTDUO GAGAT. On Saturdays from April to October you can climb the rigging from the mainmast to the second crosstree, about 35 meters above the water, with trained staff securing you. Spaces are limited, so book online. Plan one to two hours; this is our estimate.

Tickets and opening hours (as of October 2026)

• Hours: daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., ticket desk closes at 5:30 p.m. Hamburg Tourism lists December 24 and January 1 as closing days.
• Admission: adults 7 euros, 6 euros with Hamburg Card or in groups of six or more, students 6 euros, children 4 to 12 years 5 euros, visitors with disabilities 5 euros, family ticket 18 euros.
• Food: An on-board restaurant serves Hanseatic dishes daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

How to get there

The ship is moored at pontoon 1a at the Landungsbrücken, 20359 Hamburg. The Landungsbrücken is the central pier for Hamburg's harbor ferries, so you can arrive by train and ferry. The ship is not wheelchair accessible, because of its historic construction; the restaurant can only be visited by prior arrangement through a separate entrance.

Nearby

The museum ship Cap San Diego is moored at the Überseebrücke, a short walk away. The church tower of St. Michaelis, known as the Michel, is visible from the harbor.