German Naval Museum

Located at Wilhelmshaven on the North Sea coast, the German Naval Museum was opened by volunteers in 1998. It is housed in one of the oldest surviving workshop buildings used for the city’s shipbuilding industry, built in 1888. Three galleries guide visitors through the political, social and cultural history of the Germany navy since 1848. The collection includes objects such as uniforms, ship bells, flags, bridge equipment and paintings. Outside, historic vessels float in the harbour, including the U10 Coastal Submarine that guarded the Norwegian Coast during the Cold War, a Dragonfly-class speedboat, a minehunter, a sailing-school vessel and the D186 Mölders, which is a 134-m long guided-missile destroyer. Tour guides take visitors aboard the ships. A range of weapons used for naval warfare, such as a 100-mm turret guns, torpedoes and a mine are on display.