When you drive from Hamburg to Flensburg, you are set out for two adventures - to reach the end of Germany and the start of Denmark and also experience Museum-nirvana. Flensburg, known well for its beautiful roads, small-town atmosphere and its magnificent architecture, is often not credited for its museums. Here we are to tell you why you must visit each of these museums, patiently, absorb everything on display and slowly seep that information to sigh in awe, the wonders that Flensburg’s curators have collected.
An independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, Flensburg has a lot of history. Apart from being a border city, Flensburg is also known for being the nationwide database of traffic violators, its signature beer Fiensburger Pilsener, beautiful churches in the old center and of course, the architecture around which has been carried down from the 17th-century onwards.
Here are a few museums that are worth your time and definitely put a feather in Flensburg’s hat.
1. Schiffahrtsmuseum - German Maritime Museum
A customs warehouse in the early 19th-century, Flensburg’s merchants used the Zollpackhaus for storing custom seals and quality rum. When the state of Schleswig-Holstein handed it over to Flensburg, it was converted into a museum and restored to showcase local shipping history. The ground floor of the warehouse has been converted into a rum museum narrating stories of the importance of rum for the city. The first floor is dedicated to sailing, shipbuilding and commercial shipbuilding in Flensburg. The focus is on trade in the West Indies and the development of Flensburg shipping companies.
Schiffahrtsmuseum
Address: Schiffbrücke 39, 24939 Flensburg, Germany
Website: Schiffahrtsmuseum
2. Museumsberg Flensburg
One of the largest museums in the region, it showcases the confluence of artists from Germany and Denmark. Permanent exhibitions of the Heinrich-Sauermann-Haus show the art and cultural history of the Middle Ages to the 19th-century. One of the most exquisite pieces that cannot be missed is the original Bauerstuben and the historical Mobelsammlung.
The second house, the Hans-Christianses-Haus shows Schleswig-Holstein art from the 19th-century to the 21st-century. Works of Hans Christiansen, Erich Heckel, Ernst Barlach and Emil Nolde, as well as contemporary works from the north, adorn the walls of this museum here. The second house also has special exhibitions, and this year on display is exclusive works of Emil Nolde.
Museumsberg Flensburg
Address: Museumsberg 1, 24937 Flensburg, Germany
3. Naturwissenschaftliches Museum und Eiszeit-Haus - Natural History and Science Museum
The museum started when a local Flensburg teacher Hans Philippsen sold his geological collection to the city. Philippsen himself was the curator of the museum until the museum was expanded to accommodate new displays. The geographical home collection was expanded when it was renamed as a Natural history museum.
Today, the museum houses large, realistic displays related to the plant and animal kingdom, and artifacts found around the Flensburg area. The large displays of moths and reptiles, ferns and mosses have for years, built curiosity among every visitor and built an urge to learn more, explore nature and in turn develop a new-found respect for nature and its conservation.
The Ice Age House, a fairly new addition to the museum, shows fossils and rocks from the area and has an illustrative media explaining what the area looked like during the ice age - talk about going back in time! You will also enjoy the old building which has continuously expanded to accommodate the growing number of displays and exhibits at the museum.
Naturwissenschaftliches Museum und Eiszeit-Haus
Address: useumsberg 1, 24937 Flensburg, Germany
Website: Naturwissenschaftliches Museum und Eiszeit-Haus (in German)
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4. Phaenomenta - Science Centre
Before you enter the museum, keep a notepad with you to write down the umpteen questions that are bound to spark more curiosity. Perhaps the only museum when they encourage touching the displays, the Phaenomenta allows you to explore, discover, experience and learn science with a new perspective. Seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting and playing are the only ways to learn science here and if you are under the notion that science is all about formulae and data, this place will prove you wrong!
Trick mirrors, oscillating displays, and periscopes are only some displays that may help you understand the laws and phenomena of physics better. Guaranteed, the Phaenomenta promises fun and entertainment for everyone!
Phaenomenta
Address: Norderstraße 157-163, 24939 Flensburg, Germany
Website: Phaenomenta (in German)
5. Museumswerft - Museum of sailing and workboats
The underdog of museums in Flensburg, the Museumwerft, a museum of sailing and workboats, aims to revive the maritime part of the city’s cultural heritage. As you walk through the museum, you will see exhibitions and workshops for old trade and activities of how things worked back in the day. Historic sailing ships take the floor in the next section and are sure to leave you in awe just by looking at the enormity of the sails.
The museum will leave you with an understanding of Flensburg’s local trades, the work of traditional boat builders and the culture of a maritime town. The workshops are a great place to just observe the working and renovations of an antique boat being renovated. With a cup of coffee and time in your hand, this could really be an experience! A cosy place, the bay-like environment makes this museum one of the best places to relax in the museum town.
Museumswerft
Address: Schiffbrücke 43, 24939 Flensburg, Germany
Website: Museumswerft (in German)
6. Bonus: A must try - Flensburger Pilsener
Like every town has its flavor, Flensburg does too. Now that we are exploring the museum, why not check out Flensburg’s crafted beer? The brewery, operating since 1888, is one of the rare ones to be managed by the founder families till date. The brewery still operates its own water well, which is supplied by an underground vein of melting ice water coming from Scandinavia. A small brewery with only a few hundred employees, the Flensburger Brauerei really deserves a spot here. Their Pilsener, Edles Helles, Weizen, and Kellerbier are must try brews. Grab a case as many times as you can when you’re here!
Flensburger Brauerei
Address: Munketoft 12, 24937 Flensburg, Germany
Website: Flensburger Brauerei
Are you ready?
Whoever said “that’s too much information” really had no idea about Flensburg’s museums! After your vacation in Flensburg, you are going to walk out probably as a living, walking encyclopedia, a treasure trove of knowledge and information, or if nothing, definitely as a smarter person! A visit to this city will leave you craving for knowledge, long drives, and good beer!
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