25,000 PLAYMOBIL elements tell a maritime story

Hamburg, 04 May 2026 - With around 25,000 PLAYMOBIL figures and parts, the International Maritime Museum Hamburg (IMMH) will be showcasing the history of seafaring in its special exhibition „Experience Maritime History with PLAYMOBIL“ from 8 May 2026.

The exhibition invites visitors of all ages on a journey through maritime history. It can be seen daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until 8 November 2026.

At the heart of the exhibition are ten elaborately designed dioramas by renowned PLAYMOBIL artist Oliver Schaffer. Using thousands of figures and components, the Hamburg-based diorama artist has created historical scenes that look like snapshots from times gone by: The first sailors navigate the Nile, a Roman galley sets sail for battle, medieval merchants trade in the Orient. More recent history is also covered - from industrialisation and container shipping to polar and deep-sea research.

The scenes are complemented by audio stations with age-appropriate explanations of the respective eras. There are also interactive offers: In a „time travel workshop“, children can design their own time travel passport, while several play stations invite them to creatively explore maritime history.

„Maritime history is something incredibly fascinating, and with PLAYMOBIL I can tell it in a way that everyone can understand - from granddaughter to grandfather,“ explains Oliver Schaffer. „The exhibition combines playful discovery with historical knowledge transfer,“ adds Peter Tamm, CEO of the International Maritime Museum Hamburg. „In this way, we are also deliberately appealing to families and opening up new perspectives on our collection.“