The Maritime Museum in Hamburg tells the story of over 3,000 years of seafaring history through its exhibitions. Visitors can marvel at numerous ship types and their evolution over time. As of yesterday, superyachts have become part of the museum’s collection.
The Maritime Museum, located in Hamburg’s historic Speicherstadt, showcases the development of various ship types that navigate the world’s oceans – including container ships, cruise liners, research vessels, and many more. Although yachts play a significant role in the maritime economy, and Germany is a world leader in the construction of superyachts, they had previously been absent from the museum’s extensive exhibition.
Now, the collection has been expanded, completing the broader picture of the maritime economy. The museum has extended its exhibition and dedicated a special area on Deck 6 entirely to superyachts and their history.
Designers inaugurate the exhibition
The grand opening took place yesterday, with over 120 guests in attendance, including renowned yacht designers Martin Francis and Tim Heywood. Together, they cut the red ribbon, officially opening the new exhibition space to the public.
As museum director Peter Tamm highlighted in his opening speech, Martin Francis and the museum share a special connection: Francis has entrusted the museum with his entire archive. When he first visited the museum a few years ago, he was reportedly “deeply impressed”, as he told the attending guests. For this reason, he decided to donate his entire legacy to the Hamburg museum. “There is no better place,” said Martin Francis.
The mother of superyachts
From 27 February 2025, the International Maritime Museum will showcase some of the world’s most iconic superyachts. Deck 6 will feature 13 carefully selected models, which will be on permanent display.
Exhibition highlights include:
- “Lady Moura” – launched in 1990 by Blohm + Voss in Hamburg, widely regarded as the “mother of all superyachts”.
- “Here Comes the Sun” – an award-winning yacht built in the Netherlands in 2017.
- “Stardom” – designed by Theodoros Fotiadis in Berlin. This 101-metre superyacht features a hybrid propulsion system with methanol fuel cells.
- Another notable exhibit is “Atlantis”, which was taken over in 1973 by Greek shipping magnate Stavros Niarchosand is now owned by the Saudi royal family. Also on display is an authentic reconstruction of a lounge from the legendary Onassis yacht, “Christina”.
The large-scale models, measuring up to 1.20 metres, illustrate the technical, innovative, and architectural evolution of superyachts from the 1950s to the present day. The focus is not on their owners but on their aesthetics and refined design. The new exhibition sector is further enriched by graphics, design sketches, and photographs, showcasing masterpieces from northern German shipyards such as Lürssen and Abeking & Rasmussen.
