Electrum

The electrum – Museum of Electricity stands in Hamburg-Harburg, a converted basement beneath a Vattenfall office building. It occupies 530 square metres and holds 6,000 of its 10,000 objects on display. The collection traces electricity from early household gadgets to harbour cranes and media devices. A 1911 steam accumulator locomotive once greeted visitors outside until it was moved to Geesthacht in 2003. The current exhibition space opened in April 2011 after volunteers restored the rooms. The museum’s value lies in its specialised holdings and volunteer-run operation. It ranks among the largest German collections devoted to electricity’s history and applications. Exhibits include an 18th-century electromedical device, the first crane motor from the port, and a working Zuse Z6 computer. Temporary shows have featured artists such as Walter Giers and Peter Vogel alongside themes like media art and household technology. Guided tours let visitors handle functional models and experiments. Inside, rooms display radios, televisions, irons, drills and early music centres in chronological cases. A functional model of a floating frying pan demonstrates magnetic levitation. Sunday visitors can explore the permanent collection and rotating special exhibitions. The basement setting keeps the displays cool and quiet, focusing attention on the objects. Outside, Harburg’s castle ruins and the Elbe river provide a contrasting backdrop to the indoor electrical heritage.