Picture: Michael Buhr
In 1980, the German Museum of Shipping in Bremerhaven was the sixth and most recent institution to be added to the group of national research museums funded jointly by the federation and the individual federal states. The German Museum of Shipping’s research achievements are acknowledged internationally; they are given visible expression in the exhibition buildings and an open-air zone. In the anniversary year 2000, the museum was enhanced by the presentation of a Hanseatic cog from Bremen (dating from 1380) and the opening of its first extension. Since its opening in 1975, around 9 million people have visited the museum to experience the story of shipping from the beginning to the present day.
The necessary renovation of the listed building by Hans Scharoun (1893–1972) and preparations for a second extension building by Bangert architects, Berlin have made it necessary to devise a new, revised concept for the permanent exhibition. To this end, IGLHAUT + von GROTE produced a comprehensive study as a master plan for the exhibition, which covers an area of ca. 10,000 m2. Plans for the design and fitting of the “cog hall” and other parts of the permanent exhibition encompass all the areas of exhibition presentation, the renovation of the interior fittings, and concepts for energy-efficient operation.