Now, 76 years later, his maritime treasures make up the world’s largest private collection of shipping artefacts, with tens of thousands of models, uniforms, maps, paintings, tools, documents and more charting the 3000-year history of seafaring.

Since 2008, this remarkable collection has had a fitting home at the International Maritime Museum in Hamburg. The museum is located in Hamburg’s oldest storage space, a magnificent neo-gothic former warehouse built 130 years ago, known as Kaispeicher B, and found in the Hafencity district.

Spread over 11,000 square metres of exhibition space, ten themed “decks” transport visitors to the high seas. The journey takes in winds and waves, expeditions, passenger ships and shipbuilding, as well as wars, pirates and explorers.

Whether it’s a model of the beloved “Queen Mary 2” cruise liner, or a cabin with original fittings from the “Sea Cloud II” luxury yacht, were it not for Peter Tamm’s tireless passion for collecting, none of these delights would be around today.

So it is entirely unsurprising that the now 82-year-old Tamm can be seen in the museum almost every morning – keeping an eye on things and enthusing the next generation with all things maritime

Text: Kim Leclaire

Information
International Maritime Museum Hamburg
Kaispeicher B, Koreastraße 1, 20457 Hamburg, Tel +49 300 92 30-0, www.imm-hamburg.de/en