The ship models
Thousands from every era, some made of ivory, silver or bone.
The International Maritime Museum occupies the oldest surviving warehouse in the Speicherstadt, a brick building of nine floors. The museum fills all of them, each with a different theme. The collection is vast: thousands of ship models from every era, old navigational charts, instruments, naval uniforms, paintings and material from sea warfare. Some models are made of ivory, silver or even bone. The arrangement is vertical: you start at the top or bottom and work your way through floor by floor. That makes the visit orderly but long, because the content is very dense. The museum suits people interested in ships and maritime history more than the general visitor. Anyone without that interest may find the sheer detail tiring — though the building itself is worth going into.
Thousands from every era, some made of ivory, silver or bone.
Old sea charts showing how sailors pictured the world centuries ago.
The oldest surviving warehouse in the Speicherstadt, nine brick floors.
Koreastraße 1, 20457 Hamburg
Honestly, less so. The content is technical and very detailed, aimed at enthusiasts. A general visitor may find nine floors tiring. If your time in Hamburg is short, Miniatur Wunderland or the Elbphilharmonie come first.
Two and a half hours for a reasonable pass, four if you are genuinely interested. You can pick particular floors rather than seeing everything, and the staff will help you choose.
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