Opened in Bremerhaven in 2005, the German Emigration Centre is the biggest interactive museum of its kind in Europe. It is situated at the point from which more than seven million people set off for the New World by boat between 1830 and 1974.

A voyage overseas
The German Emigration Centre brings to life the story of the seven million people who emigrated by boat from Bremerhaven between 1830 and 1974. More than 90% of the emigrants who sailed from here were headed for the USA and Canada. The route across the North Atlantic became the world's busiest "bridge to overseas". At one time, Bremerhaven was the largest emigration port in Europe. Many people failed in the New World, but many made it too. Instead of using information boards and photos, the German Emigration Centre offers visitors a chance to truly experience this period through a combination of education, entertainment, recreation and culinary delights.

Using real-life examples, the museum gives visitors an insight into what it was like for people to leave their homes behind and start afresh in America. You get a real sense of history, emotions and the pain of parting. 1,000 personal histories are stored in the archives, and the exhibition focuses on the biographies of around 60 selected emigrants. With elaborate reconstructions and spectacular scenes, the museum tells visitors to this historic location about people's reasons for leaving, how they survived the cross-Atlantic journey and what happened to them afterwards.
» www.dah-bremerhaven.de

A selection of other ethnological museums in Germany.