Special exhibition
Aufgetaucht!
From spring 2027 at the Küstenmuseum Wilhelmshaven on the Bontekai: a preview of the new permanent exhibition with information on the redevelopment of the naval museum.
Deutsches Marinemuseum
Museum of German naval history since 1848 in Wilhelmshaven – with walk-through vessels such as the destroyer "Mölders" and submarine "U 10".
Opening hoursAdmission from €16 Partially accessible Café
Current exhibitions
About the museum
The Deutsches Marinemuseum (German Naval Museum) on Wilhelmshaven's Südstrand was opened in 1998 by a friends' association, after an earlier initiative by the city in the 1980s had failed to produce a joint concept. Since 2002 it has been run by the Stiftung Deutsches Marinemuseum. The exhibition is housed in a listed building of the former torpedo workshop of the Imperial Shipyard, dating from around 1888.
The permanent exhibition "Menschen – Zeiten – Schiffe" (People – Times – Ships) spans the period from the Federal Fleet of 1848 through the Imperial Navy, Reichsmarine and Kriegsmarine to the West German Bundesmarine, the East German Volksmarine and today's German Navy. Personal life stories of navy personnel are presented alongside ship models, weapons and everyday objects.
The museum harbor with its large floating exhibits defines the site. The most important piece is the guided missile destroyer "Mölders" (D 186), completed in 1969 by Bath Iron Works in the US for the West German Navy, decommissioned in 2003 and opened to visitors in 2005 as Germany's largest museum warship. Also on display are the coastal submarine "U 10" and the fast attack craft "S 71 Gepard"; the wooden minehunter "Weilheim" is being retired at the end of October 2026 due to rot.
With federal funding, the museum is undergoing a comprehensive modernization expected to last until 2030: quays are being renovated, an extension and a new storage depot are being built, and a new permanent exhibition is planned for around 2029. From spring 2027, the "Mölders" will therefore be moored temporarily at the Bontekai in the Großer Hafen.
Highlights
- Guided missile destroyer "Mölders" – Germany's largest museum warship, open to visitors across four decks
- Coastal submarine "U 10"
- Missile fast attack craft "S 71 Gepard"
- Restored World War II "Seehund" midget submarine
- Permanent exhibition "Menschen – Zeiten – Schiffe" on naval history since 1848
- Historic harbor cruises (April to October)
Permanent exhibitions
- Menschen – Zeiten – Schiffe – The permanent exhibition tells the story of the German navies from 1848 to the present through personal biographies, set in the context of their respective eras.
- Museumshafen mit Großexponaten – Visitors can go aboard the destroyer "Mölders", the submarine "U 10" and the fast attack craft "S 71 Gepard"; the minehunter "Weilheim" only until October 31, 2026.
- Founded
- 1998
- Operated by
- Stiftung Deutsches Marinemuseum
- Director
- Dr. Thomas Eisentraut
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €16 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €10Children and teens (ages 6–17), school and university students |
| Children & teens | €10free up to age 5 · Ages 6–17 €10 |
| Seniors | –No senior discount is listed on the prices page. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €13companion free · With a severe disability ID (Schwerbehindertenausweis); with marker B and/or H, one companion free. |
| Students & apprentices | €10School and university students |
| Groups (15+ people) | €15 per personSchool classes, youth and student groups €6 per person; registration via visitor services. |
| Families | €412 adults with 1–3 children; small family ticket (1 adult, 2 children) €31 |
| Small family ticket (1 adult, 2 children) | €31 |
| School classes/youth groups per person | €6 |
| Historic harbor cruise, adults (April–October) | €13Children ages 6–17 €8, family ticket €33, small family ticket €25, groups of 15 or more €12 per person |
Free admission for military personnel (in uniform or with service ID), members of the Deutsches Marinemuseum and Museumsschnellboot friends' associations, and members of MOV, the Deutscher Museumsbund, ICOM and museum associations. Online tickets do not entitle holders to priority entry.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The permanent and special exhibitions in the main building and the museum harbor are wheelchair-accessible; the museum ships and boats are not (some steep companionways/ladders).
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 2.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
| Family ticket | €41 · 2 adults with 1–3 children; small family ticket (1 adult, 2 children) €31 |
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Children's audio tour and scavenger hunt through the permanent exhibition. Children under 14 only when accompanied by adults; children under 6 must be held by the hand aboard the ships. Ships may only be boarded in closed-toe shoes.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Marinemuseum/Südstrand
In the summer months, bus line 8 (shuttle service Hauptbahnhof – Südstrand) to the stop “Marinemuseum/Südstrand” directly in front of the museum; from the main train station about a 30-minute walk through the Südstadt.
By car
Paid parking · 300 m to the entrance
Public paid parking lots at the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Brücke and at the Helgoland-Kai.
Amenities & dining
- Café
- Coat check
- Lockers
Museum café with terrace (coffee, cake, lunch specials; for museum guests only, groups can make reservations). Larger bags must go into lockers. Bicycle racks in front of the entrance. Dogs are not allowed, except guide and assistance dogs.
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 |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Permitted for private purposes without flash; individual objects where photography is prohibited are marked. |
| Good to know | Allow at least 2.5 hours for the permanent exhibition and one large exhibit; about 45 minutes for each additional ship. Group tours 60–90 minutes (overview tour 90 minutes). Workshops, the escape game “Flucht vom Museumsschiff,” harbor cruises, and sailing trips on the “Nordwind”; groups can contact info@marinemuseum.de or 04421 4008412. |
