Historical Ships for the Public
It’s the job of the Oevelgönne Museum Harbour’s staff to to acquire, restore and exhibit decommissioned maritime vehicles that were typical of professional seafaring in the northern German coastal regions. To a large extent, the ships were built between 1880 and 1980. It is the idea of conservation as a whole, as well as traditional seafaring in particular that people should learn from a visit of the Oevelgönne Museum Harbour.
Over the past decades, the Oevelgönne docks have become a mainstay in Hamburg’s cultural landscape. In 2017, the initiative turned 40, making it the single-oldest museum harbour in Germany and is widely accepted as a forerunner in the exhibition of historic marine vessels.
Oldest Fire Ship in the World
In the museum harbour, the world’s oldest fully-operable fire ship can be found side by side with steam-driven tugboats, cutters, floating cranes, icebreakers and police vessels. All ships can be visited during opening hours, tours of the interior must be booked in advance. The museum’s café is located on an abandoned ferryboat. The close-by Elbstrand beach is another great reason why the trip to Oevelgönne is worthwhile.
A Member-Based Initiative
The Oevelgönne Museum Harbour is not a state-owned museum but rather a private non-profit organisation that is funded by membership fees and donations. Volunteers contribute their time and craftsmanship to the cause in order to keep the impressive fleet afloat.
For more information, see the official website (German only).
Getting There:
Bus 30 to Neumühlen/Oevelgönne (Fähre)
Ferry 62 to Neumühlen/Oevelgönne
Address
Neumühlen 1
(Ponton Neumühlen)
22763 Hamburg