The Story of Customs - German Customs Museum attracts annually 50,000 visitors
Approximately 50,000 visitors per year count the German Customs Museum in Hamburg. This 1992-founded institution is not among the top attractions of the Hanseatic City, yet it attracts like the neighboring Miniaturwonderland with its location in a historical building of the Speicherstadt and with special exhibition objects.
The museum's highlight in the former Customs Office Kornhausbrücke is the former Customs Boat "Oldenburg". This 28-meter-long ship was in service from 1977 to 2005 off the German North Sea coast.
The exhibition on two floors covers a wide range, from the first customs officer in history, St. Matthew, to German history in the East and West up to the present, as speaker Ramona Hegemann explains. Without technical equipment, it is not possible to control the goods flows. A green service motorcycle with sidecar from 1951, an X-ray machine, and a drone of the Observation Unit of the Customs illustrate this.
A prepared Canadian Timberwolf, a Chinese Fertility Goddess figurine made of ivory, and a dried Tiger penis illustrate the topic of animal protection. An Oldtimer Bulli, a golf club set, and condoms show how drug dealers smuggle cocaine. A department of the museum is dedicated to the DDR Customs and its special task, preventing the escape of people over the inner German border.
German Customs Museum
The German Customs Museum in Hamburg is situated in a historical building of the Speicherstadt, similar to the nearby Miniaturwonderland, attracting a significant number of visitors annually. The museum's most notable exhibit is the former Customs Boat "Oldenburg," which served along the German North Sea coast from 1977 to 2005. The museum's exhibits span a broad historical context, from early customs officers like St. Matthew to modern customs issues, as elucidated by speaker Ramona Hegemann. The importance of various tools for controlling goods flows, such as a green service motorcycle, an X-ray machine, and a drone, are demonstrated in the exhibition.
