Focke-Museum

The Focke Museum is the state history museum of the city of Bremen and houses a comprehensive collection on the art and cultural history of the region. The institution came into being through the merger of the Gewerbe-Museum (Museum of Trade and Industry), which opened in 1884, and the Historical Museum, founded in 1900, which grew out of the private collections of Johann Focke. After World War II, when the old site in the city center was destroyed in a bombing raid, the museum relocated in 1953 to the grounds of the former Riensberg estate in the Riensberg district. Today the site is home to a modern complex of buildings from 1964, built in the style of classic modernism, whose transparent design emphasizes the connection to the surrounding landscape. The new building is considered an architectural gem of the 20th century and is part of a spacious park whose historic buildings, sculptures, and watercourses create a special atmosphere.\r\n\r\nIn the various exhibition buildings, you can gain insight into more than 1,200 years of Bremen's history. The main building displays finds from the Middle Ages through postwar reconstruction, including significant objects such as the Roland's head, historic automobiles, and ship models. The Schaumagazin (Open Storage Gallery), built in 2002, offers an innovative concept in which holdings that are normally kept out of sight are made accessible in a dense display, complemented by multimedia stations and interactive features. In the historic Haus Riensberg, the focus is on Bremen domestic culture and European glass art, while the thatched Eichenhof sheds light on the region's prehistory and early history from the Stone Age to the Saxon period. Other highlights include the reconstructed Mittelsbüren farmhouse, which depicts rural life, and the former sea rescue cruiser Paul Denker, displayed in the courtyard.\r\n\r\nThe 4.5-hectare park connects the individual buildings and invites you to linger with a farmhouse garden, botanical rarities, and open-air concerts in summer. The Oberneuland Mill, which shows the history of grain processing, serves as an additional site. Because the main building is currently closed for renovation and refitting until 2028, the visitor experience for the time being centers on the other buildings on the grounds, which still offer a diverse look at Bremen's cultural and historical development.