Museums and collections

The Anatomical Collection of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) contains preserved anatomical specimens and three-dimensional models to help students better visualize and understand anatomical structures.

Anatomical Collection, UKE

Almanac of the Revolution of 1795, Göttingen, undated [1796]. This volume hails from the collection of rare literary works on the French Revolution by the historian Hans-Werner Engels, whose library belongs to the historical collection of the Center for the History of Hamburg.
Source: Claudia Ketels, photo/graphics department, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE)

• Research Center for the History of Hamburg in the Historical Seminar

This gold-plated key was handed over by patron Edmund J. A. Siemers to Senator Werner von Melle on 13 May 1911 to celebrate the opening of the lecture hall building, which has been the University's main building since 1919. The key can now be found in the Office for University History in the same building. Source: R. Nicolaysen

Center for the History of Universität Hamburg
(with the Hamburg Library for University History)

The main emphasis of the Microalgae and Zygnematophyceae Collection Hamburg (MZCH) are more than 550 phylums of conjugatophyceae with isolates from various regions. The collection - known as Conjugates Cultures - has been included in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility MZCH-SVCK; it serves as a reference collection for research on the evolution of streptophytes, their physiological adaptations to extreme environments and the ramifications of climate change. Source: M. Engels

Collection of Conjugate Cultures  in the Microalgae and Zygnematophyceae Collection Hamburg (formerly: Biocenter Klein Flottbek)

The Department of Forensic Medicine in the University Medical Center (UKE) houses an extensive preserved specimens collection. The collection is not open to the public. Source: Monika Thiel, photo/graphics department, UKE

Collection of Preserved Specimens in the Department of Forensic Medicine at the University Medical Center (UKE)

These collections comprise about 300 objects of physical, chemical and astronomical instruments as well as mathematical and physical models, slides and mathematical-technical diagrams.  Apart from that, visitors find an informatics collection (calculators, slide rules, planimeters, and computers) including exhibits from Russia, Japan, Indonesia, China, Mongolia, etc.). The majority of objects dates from the 20th century. Source: G. Wolfschmidt

Collections at the Center for the History of Natural Science and Technology

The Curt Eisfeld Library contains about 3,500 volumes from the private collection of Curt Eisfeld. The library is permanently accessible in Prof. Dr. Henrik Sattler's office.

Curt Eisfeld Library of the Sven Eisfeld Foundation

The GDR Archive under the aegis of the Art History Seminar is a unique institution housing three complementary reference libraries. In addition to these libraries, which contain roughly 3,000 volumes on the art of the GDR and 1,000 further volumes on Social Realism in neighboring countries, the archive also has a library of images with roughly 10,000 images cataloged by iconographic feature as well as a comprehensive press archive with German newspaper and journal articles dating from 1989 onwards. This provides insight into the reception of art, architecture, and urban planning in the GDR.

• GDR Archive in the Art History Seminar

The collection of the Geological-Paleantological Institute and Museum consists of both a teaching collection for students and unusually expansive specialist collections. Its amber, fossil squids and stratum images collections are of international significance. Source: Wolfgang Weitschat

Geological-Paeantological Institute and Museum

The German Bible Archive documents the role and cultural reception of The Bible—in text, images, or music—throughout history. The heart of the archive is a new specialist library for research literature, seminal sources, and handbooks. The archive also contains a collection of Bibles from the 16th through 20th centuries, as well as numerous medieval biblical manuscripts on microfilm and microfiche. The library’s collection is housed in the departmental library for cultural history and contemporary culture.

German Bible Archive

Between 1911 and 1990 over 35,000 photographic plates were created in Hamburg. More than 10 percent - 3,700 historic sky images - have already been digitalized and archived in a database, grouped by telescope types. 

Hamburg Observatory 

Explore the stars at the Hamburg Observatory! Erected between 1906 and 1912 in Hamburg-Bergedorf its buildings are landmarks of that architectural period. The old scientific instruments on display present important historic documents of astronomical research. Source: Hamburg Observatory

Hamburg Observatory (Schmidt-Museum, Scientific Instruments and Archival Collection)

With more than 1.6 million plant classifications the Herbarium Hamburgense presents one of Germany's largest herbariums. Among others, it contains 30,000 so-called types (originals) from tropical regions such as Brazil, Borneo, India, Australia, former German colonies in Africa, the Pacific Islands as well as from Germany. Source: Herbarium Hamburgense

Herbarium Hamburgense

Relax and learn at Universität Hamburg's Botanical Garden! Recently renamed Loki Schmidt Garden, it has been located in Klein Flottbek in the western part of Hamburg since 1979. The garden offers about 25 hectares of open space. Its green houses, however, are situated in Planten un Blomen near Dammtor Station where the Botanical Garden originated in 1821. Source: Botanical Garden

Loki Schmidt Garden, Universität Hamburg's Botanical Garden (only in German)

Discover products made from crops that form part of your daily life! At the Loki Schmidt House the variety and meaning of options as to plant resource usage are depicted in a comprehensible and tangible manner - an elucidating experience for children and adults alike. Source: Loki Schmidt House

• Loki Schmidt House, Useful Plants Museum

The Archive for the Research of Material Iconography under the aegis of the Art History Seminar houses two reference libraries documenting the significance of materials and their use in 20th-century art, particularly in international contemporary art since 1945. The archive also houses the newly-established picture archive, which contains over 18,000 reproductions filed under fifty headings and promotes new analytical approaches to modern artworks. Furthermore, the archive contains publications on the use of materials and their significance in modern and contemporary art.

• Materials Archive

Visit our historical autopsy room! It dates back to 1926 and is located at the Medical Historical Museum of Hamburg at the University Medical Center in Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). See our moulage collection (wax models) of diseased body parts and take a guided tour! Visitors can also catch a glimpse of the museum's storage. Source: Sebastian Schulz, photo/graphics department, UKE

Medical History Museum of Hamburg at the University Medical Center (UKE)

Sparkling gems! The Mineralogy Museum's collection of minerals and meteorites ranks among the leading mineralogy exhibitions in Germany. Located on Grindelallee the museum comprises 500 sm. Selected parts of the collection illustrate topics in mineralogy. Source: K.-C. Lyncker, Hamburg

Mineralogy Museum

The Photographic Archive of the Art History Seminar houses a collection of over 20,000 photographs and prints created between 1880 and 1970. Focus areas include Italian Renaissance painting, French architecture through the 18th century, and the work of Albrecht Dürer. In addition to canonized artists and material on well-known epochs, there are impressive reproductions of works in ivory, tombs, ancient Egyptian art, and large-format prints based on complex techniques.

Photographic Archive of the Art History Seminar

The collection of the Archeological Institute looks back at more than 100 years of history. It currently owns 173 plaster casts of ancient sculptures, plastic relief models and small artwork. Apart from famous plastic relief models, visitors - by prior arrangement - may inspect our Greek architectural sculptures and portraits of Roman emperors in the plaster cast collection. Source: M. Witek

Plaster cast collection of the Archaelogical Institute

The Special Print Collection Prof. Dr. Gerhard Schott (1866–1961) includes books on oceanography as well as expedition reports and a  collection of about 1,000 special prints. Professor Schott initiated the chair in oceanography at Universität Hamburg. Source: W. Lenz

Special Print Collection Prof. Dr. Gerhard Schott
Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability (CEN)

The Zoological Museum Hamburg is one of Germanys most reputable museums of natural sciences. Its collection of 10 million zoological objects is the fourth largest in Germany. Source: Hallermann

Zoological Museum

Universität Hamburg has seven museums and collections of natural sciences. Its broad range of museums stands unparalleled by other German universities. The University's Association of Scientific Collections coordinates the work of the individual collections and represents its interests to the public.

Association of Scientific Collections of Universität Hamburg (VNSH) (PDF)