Over het 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.
Hoogtepunten
- 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
Vaste collectie
- 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.
- Beheerder
- Focke-Windkanal e. V. (Eigentümerin: Stiftung Focke-Windkanal in der Deutschen Stiftung Denkmalschutz)
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
De toegang is gratis.
| Groepen | –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.
Toegankelijkheid
- Rolstoeltoegankelijk: geen informatie
- Lift: geen informatie
- Aangepast toilet: geen informatie
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
- Hulphonden welkom: geen informatie
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie: geen informatie
Very cramped space in the laboratory building; no information on accessibility is available.
Kinderen & gezin
Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd – vraag het rechtstreeks na bij het museum.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met het openbaar vervoer
A few minutes' walk from Bremen Hauptbahnhof.
Service & horeca
Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd – vraag het rechtstreeks na bij het museum.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd – vraag het rechtstreeks na bij het museum.
Je bezoek plannen
| Rondleidingen | ja · duur ca. 1,5 uur |
|---|---|
| Goed om te weten | 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. |
