Things to see and do Hamburg

Timetable

On average, Hamburg's museums are open from 10 am to 6 pm. In the low season, the opening hours are sometimes reduced. Monday is usually the closing day for museums and attractions, more rarely on Tuesday.

Most of Hamburg's museums have their night-time opening on Thursday evenings, when they will stay open until 9pm.

Public holidays vary from state to state in Germany. Hamburg has only 10 public holidays in the year. Its calendar mainly follows the Protestant celebrations.

January¹: New Year's Day.

Good Friday (the Friday before Easter Monday)

Easter Monday (date varies).

May^1st: Labor Day.

Ascension Day, 40 days after Easter.

Whit Monday (date varies).

October 3: German Unity Day, national holiday.

October 31: Reformation Day.

December 25: Christmas.

December 26:^2nd Christmas Day.

In general, museums are open even on public holidays. However, opening hours are subject to change. If you plan to visit a museum on one of these 10 days, please refer to the information available on the respective websites.

To be booked

In contrast to some of Berlin's completely overcrowded museums, Hamburg's major art museums, such as the Kunsthalle or the MK&G, do not require advance reservations. However, for attractions with guided tours, such as the Chocoversum, it is recommended to make a reservation: you are guaranteed to get in and prices are cheaper online. For the visit of Miniatur Wunderland, it is also advisable to take your tickets in advance to avoid the queue at the entrance.

Budget & Tips

Museum prices vary greatly from one institution to another. Audioguides are often available at an additional cost. Entrance to places of worship is almost always free, with the possible exception of St. Michael's Church in Hamburg. Throughout Germany, places of remembrance related to National Socialism are open to visitors free of charge.

The Hamburg Card is the city's official tourist pass: it combines a transport ticket with discounts for major attractions.

The Hamburger Kunsthalle offers a discounted ticket from 5pm. This €8 ticket allows you to take a look at the collection before it closes at 6pm. The real good deal is on Thursday since the museum closes at 9pm! We will have 4 hours instead of one to visit the museum.

The Hamburg History Museum is free on Thursdays from 5pm to 9pm.

Guided tours

Every day at 11am, young English, German and Spanish speakers from Hamburg offer free tours through the city: see Sandemans.

Smokers

The legislation on smoking is similar to that of France. Smoking is prohibited in most public places, bars and restaurants.

What's very local

Don't miss a visit to Hamburg's unique UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Speicherstadt and the Kontorhausviertel.