Hamburger Genossenschaftsmuseum
Small museum in Hamburg's trade union building on the history of cooperatives, especially consumer cooperatives such as the "Produktion."
About the museum
The Genossenschaftsmuseum (cooperative museum) opened in May 2014 in the Gewerkschaftshaus (trade union building) on Besenbinderhof. It is run by the Heinrich-Kaufmann-Stiftung, a foundation named after a pioneer of the German consumer cooperative movement; its initiator and longtime director was Burchard Bösche, who died in 2019.
The museum recalls that Hamburg was long a center of the cooperative, non-profit economy: it was home to the Großeinkaufs-Gesellschaft Deutscher Konsumgenossenschaften, the wholesale society of German consumer cooperatives, with its own factories, and in 1903 the Zentralverband deutscher Konsumgenossenschaften (central association of German consumer cooperatives) was founded here. A central role in the exhibition is played by the "Produktion" (PRO), founded in 1899, which within a few years grew into one of the largest consumer cooperatives in the world and ran stores, housing, a bakery, and a meat-products factory.
The exhibition on the 12th floor (11th floor by European count) is divided into the founding era, new tasks such as savings through consumption and burial societies, the Nazi era followed by new beginnings in East and West, and today's cooperatives. On display are goods, packaging, membership books, cash registers, and documents; there is also an archive with periodicals, photos, and films. The foundation also holds an annual conference on cooperative history and occasionally shows smaller special exhibitions.
Highlights
- History of the Hamburg consumer cooperative "Produktion"
- Goods, packaging, and cash registers from cooperative stores
- Cooperatives in East and West Germany
- Free admission
Permanent exhibitions
- 170 Jahre Genossenschaftsgeschichte – The development of cooperatives from the first foundings through the Nazi era and new beginnings to the present day, with a focus on consumer cooperatives.
- Founded
- 2014
- Operated by
- Heinrich-Kaufmann-Stiftung
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission and guided tours are free; donations welcome.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- 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
According to information for the Long Night of Museums, accessible including restroom. The museum is on the 12th floor; access via the lobby of the Gewerkschaftshaus (DGB building).
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Hauptbahnhof
S-Bahn and U-Bahn Hauptbahnhof, a few minutes' walk.
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 |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Tours for groups of up to about ten people via a request form on the website. Entrance through the lobby of the Gewerkschaftshaus; the museum is on the 12th floor. |
