Our destination takes us to the North-German city of Hamburg. The old Hansa-town on the River Elbe is known all over the world mainly for its colorful harbor and the nearby adult entertainment district of St. Pauli. However, the city also has a great deal to offer visitors who are interested in history and culture. We begin our tour through the city in the Speicherstadt Museum, which is located down near the harbor in a section of town dominated by centuries old red brick warehouses.
Here, we learn about the development of the seafaring industry in Hamburg, about the growth of the harbor, and specifically about the history of the Speicherstadt. Overseas trade brought a great deal of wealth to Hamburg, and over the centuries rich citizens invested much of their money in fine art. We take a tour of the city's Kunsthalle, whose standing exhibits and special exhibitions have been internationally recognized. Finally, we visit the Museum fr Volkerkunde (Museum of Ethnology). Many of the exotic objects on exhibit, which documents various cultures around the world, were donated by sailors or their heirs, proving yet again how inseparable Hamburg's history is from that of its harbor.