TextVersion · Chronicle of the museum

1839 – The society of Hamburg History is founded and its „artistic section“ begins with the collection of the Hamburg antiquities.

1849 – The collection is accommodated in the cellars of the Johanneum and in.....

1875...is enhanced by valuable items from Hamburgs Zeughäuser.

1908 – with the nomination of Otto Lauffers as first director of the museum, the Museum of Hamburg History becomes a state-owned institution.

1909 – according to Lauffers concept of the exhibition Hamburgs senior building executive Fritz Schumacher begins with the planning for the building of the museum.

1914 – beginning of the construction at the Holstenwall

1916 – interruption of the construction work

1922 - opening of the museum

1944 – the construction of the museum is partly destroyed, the collection however, was rescued in time.

1945 – as the first museum in Hamburg after the war the Museum of Hamburg History opens a part of its exhibition.

1976 – the building of the museum is classified as a historical monument.

1978 – the complete reformation of the exhibition begins

1985 – foundation of the society of friends of the Museum of Hamburg History e. V.

1989 – In the year of the 800. anniversary of the Hamburg harbour and for the opening of the Hanse exhibition the glass roof of the inner courtyard is completed. The glass roof, designed by the architect Prof. Volkwin Marg and the structural engineer Prof. Jörg Schlaich, from then on described as „Fritz-Schumacher-Hof“, receives worldwide attention and recognition.

1995 – completion of the restoration of the Petri portal. The south portal of Hamburgs main church St. Petri created in 1604/05 was already damaged in the great fire in 1842. Installed into the inner courtyard of the museum, it was again severly destroyed during the second world war. After its reconstruction, which already followed regarding an exhibition about the charisma of the renaissance master of construction Andrea Palladio, the portal offers access from the courtyard into the room of the special exhibition.

1997 – for the special exhibition „Building according to nature“ – „The legacy of Palladios in northern europe“ the inner courtyard is enhanced with a collection of Hamburgs garden sculptures.

1999 – at the request of the ministry of Culture the once state-owned museum is changed by a resolution of the senate into a foundation under Public Law.