International Maritime Museum

The Internationales Maritimes Museum Hamburg is an absolute delight for lovers of oceangoing craft, lore and history. Spread over 11,000 square metres and across ten fascinating floors, the museum is home to thousands upon thousands of artifacts and relics reaching back some three millennia into long-forgotten eras of sea navigation. It also houses millions of images, thousands of models and a huge collection of navigational instruments, along with many other intriguing items.

Given the colossal size of the building, make sure you arrive properly equipped with comfortable walking shoes and plenty of time. It's also a good idea to start your tour on the top floor and work your way down. Some English-language information is presented beside the displays but, to get a full sense of the collections, renting an audio guide is recommended.

Admire maritime paintings and prints, or examine the development of techniques and weapons of war on the high seas. An unusual addition is the fine model vessels crafted in whalebone and ivory. The museum's collections belong to wealthy businessman Peter Tamm, and have been gathered over the course of a lifetime.

As well as being a wonderful collection of artifacts, the museum is also a massive repository of knowledge it houses books, atlases, maps, films and countless documents. Many of these are on display, with many more held in archives. Pride of place is given to 47 letters from the famous Lord Horatio Nelson, victor of the Battle of Trafalgar.

Internationales Maritimes Museum Hamburg is located in the HafenCity area, and is easily reached by taking the train to the Überseequartier U-bahn station. Parking is also available at Parkhaus Überseequartier. There is a charge for entry to the museum, and it is open from Tuesday to Sunday.