Vollzugsmuseum Wilhelmshaven
Small museum in a Kriegsmarine bunker on the grounds of a prison (JVA) with over 300 exhibits on 200 years of penal history in Lower Saxony.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum was founded in 2008 as a labor of love by the Wilhelmshaven correctional officer Mike Cramme, on the grounds of the Oldenburg correctional facility, Wilhelmshaven division. In 2011 a friends' association was formed to preserve the penal history collection and to support social, cultural and educational projects in work with prisoners.
The exhibition is housed in an air-raid bunker built by the Kriegsmarine around 1941/42. The prison site itself was built in 1907 as the Imperial Navy arrest facility and opened the following year. Over the decades it served various purposes: during the war as detention for naval soldiers, from 1949 as a women's prison, later as a prison for first offenders and a workhouse, and since 1968 again in open custody.
On show are more than 300 objects from over 200 years of Lower Saxon judicial history, from civilian and military imprisonment in Wilhelmshaven and the surrounding area to modern penal practice. They include homemade weapons and prohibited items confiscated from inmates, handcuffs and uniforms. In an annex, a historic cell from the 1930s can be viewed, supplemented by accounts of the personal fates of former prisoners. Since 2012 the bunker has also hosted the series "Kultur im Bunker" with readings and concerts.
Highlights
- Over 300 exhibits from more than 200 years of judicial history
- Exhibition in a Kriegsmarine air-raid bunker
- Historic prison cell from the 1930s
- Homemade weapons and prohibited items confiscated from inmates
- Handcuffs and uniforms from different eras
Permanent exhibition
- Vollzugsgeschichtliche Sammlung – Over 300 objects on the history of penal enforcement in Lower Saxony, plus a historic cell from the 1930s.
- Founded
- 2008
- Operated by
- Förderverein Vollzugsmuseum Wilhelmshaven e. V.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Groups (5+ people) | €8 per personPer person; visits only with a guide |
The price of €8 per person applies to the guided tour (approx. 1.5 hours).
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Mühlenweg
Bus line 1 to the Mühlenweg stop
The museum is on the grounds of the JVA Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven division (Ölhafendamm 2); entrance at the Mühlenweg visitors' gate.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 1.5 hrs |
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| Good to know | The museum can only be visited with a guide (groups of 5 or more, registration by phone or email). No events are currently taking place. |
