With the German Port Museum, supported by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media and the City of Hamburg, the Hamburg Historical Museums Foundation will be developing a new museum in Hamburg over the coming years dedicated to the history, present, and future of German seaports and inland ports in a globally interconnected world.
Today, 90 percent of global trade in goods takes place by sea, and ports—whether in Hamburg, Rotterdam, Singapore, or Duisburg—serve as transshipment hubs and gateways for these goods and commodities. Even before the new building on Grasbrook opens, the “Fascination Port” exhibition offers a preview of the planned exhibitions and their partners at the German Port Museum, inviting Hamburg residents to share their wishes and ideas for this museum of globalization in the 21st century. With an initial selection of objects the exhibition establishes a connection between Germany’s seaports and inland ports and their economic significance for “Germany, the world’s leading exporter,” as well as the socio-economic consequences of global trade.