The German Emigration Center in Bremerhaven is Europe's largest interactive museum on the subject of migration. Follow in the footsteps of around 7 million Europeans who left their homeland via the harbor of Bremerhaven to start a new life in the New World.

With your personal iCard, an electronic boarding pass, you embark on an interactive journey through time covering 300 years of emigration and immigration history. The iCard contains the story of a real person who emigrated to the New World and activates numerous audio stations and interactive elements in the exhibition.

Experience emigration up close: At the quay, you will meet emigrants from different European countries and learn more about the emotional moment of farewell and departure into an uncertain future. You will then go on board with them and gain insights into life on passenger ships from different eras, for example on the ocean liner “Columbus” in 1929.

Upon arrival at Ellis Island, you will undergo an immigration test at the Legal Inspection. With your entry permit in hand, you will continue your journey to Grand Central Station in New York. There, you will learn more about the lives of emigrants in the New World and deepen your knowledge of the history, causes, and consequences of migration.

After your walking tour, you can search for emigrant ancestors in the family research room. This service is free of charge. Trained staff will help you discover the first traces of your own family history.