The Dockland Museum, Hamburg

The Speicherstadtmuseum, or Dockland Museum, is located on Am Sandtorkai in the heart of Hamburg’s historic docklands. Located south of the city centre, the docks were constructed from man-made lakes, which lead onto the River Elbe and towards the North Sea. Hamburg’s history revolves around these docks – as a founding member of the Hanseatic League, the city grew through trade links with nearby coastal European cities. Hamburg is still the third largest port in Europe, after Rotterdam and Antwerp. This museum celebrates the history of the city’s dockland area.

The Dockland Museum is housed in a two storey, red brick former warehouse. Billed as a ‘hands-on’ attraction, it is filled with authentic items from the city’s trading heyday, including sacks of coffee, bales of rubber and measuring instruments. There is an impressive display of historical photos documents and maps, charting the development of the area known as Speicherstadt – the ‘warehouse city’. There are also exhibitions on coffee and tea trading, and the local industries which transported goods between the giant warehouses. Admission is 3 Euros for adults, with concessions available.