Deutsches Zollmuseum
Deutsches Zollmuseum stands in Hamburg’s historic Speicherstadt, inside the former Kornhausbrücke customs office built in 1900. The building served customs purposes until 1984. Wheelchair access makes the 800-square-metre exhibition area easier to explore. Around 1,000 objects connect customs duties with trade, borders and everyday goods.
The ground floor examines contemporary customs, including European Union trade, social justice, product piracy and wildlife protection. Confiscated goods make those duties visible. Upstairs, exhibits trace customs from the Roman provinces through the Middle Ages, German principalities and the German Empire of 1871. Weimar, Nazi and divided Germany appear alongside artefacts from the German Democratic Republic. Interactive displays and multimedia stations show how customs practices change with politics and trade.
A library holds 6,000 books on customs history from antiquity to the present. Outside, the customs boat Oldenburg lies in the customs canal as a museum ship. Commissioned in 1976, it patrolled the North Sea, monitored goods, prevented smuggling and helped protect the environment.
- City
- Hamburg
- Content updated
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