Focke-Windkanal
Private wind tunnel laboratory of helicopter pioneer Henrich Focke from the 1960s in Bremen, open to visit only on pre-arranged group tours.
About the museum
Henrich Focke (1890–1979), co-founder of Focke-Wulf-Flugzeugbau AG and designer of the first fully controllable helicopter, the Fw 61, set up his own research laboratory in retirement in a Bremen back courtyard not far from the main train station. Around 1960 he built a closed-circuit wind tunnel with an open test section there together with his sons; he constructed most of its measuring equipment himself from commercially available parts.
Until the 1970s, Focke investigated mainly questions of slow flight and the stability of rotary-wing aircraft. After that the laboratory fell largely into oblivion until the engineer Kai Steffen rediscovered it in 1997 in an almost unchanged state.
A friends' association founded in 2003 restored the facility with the support of the Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz; in 2004 it was placed under heritage protection, and in 2005 the Deutscher Preis für Denkmalschutz followed. Since then, volunteers have shown the working laboratory on tours and in demonstrations. In 2019 it passed into the ownership of a trust foundation established by Focke's daughter under the umbrella of the Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz.
A dispute arose between the foundation and the association in the 2020s over the terms of a new usage agreement. After the agreement expired at the end of 2025, eviction proceedings are pending; the association has removed parts of the measuring and control technology but, by its own account, still offers group tours on request.
Highlights
- Henrich Focke's closed-circuit wind tunnel, preserved in its original state
- Self-built measuring and test equipment of the helicopter pioneer
- Detailed tours in small groups by knowledgeable volunteers
- Technical heritage site, awarded the Deutscher Preis für Denkmalschutz
Permanent exhibitions
- Flugtechnisches Labor Henrich Focke – The wind tunnel preserved in its original condition, with test setups and measuring instruments, in which Focke researched the aerodynamics of rotary-wing aircraft until the 1970s.
- Operated by
- Focke-Windkanal e. V. (Eigentümerin: Stiftung Focke-Windkanal in der Deutschen Stiftung Denkmalschutz)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups | –A donation of at least €50 per group (6 people) is requested for special tours. |
|---|
Free admission; donations for the preservation of the laboratory are welcome.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Very cramped space in the laboratory building; no information on accessibility is available.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
A few minutes' walk from Bremen Hauptbahnhof.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Tours last about 1.5 to 3 hours and are supplemented by films and images on the history of the wind tunnel, the helicopter and Bremen aviation. |
