Animals on Board – Miracle, Knowledge, Goods

Whether as stowaways, travel companions, or merchandise, animals have always been aboard ships alongside the crew. Starting on July 2, 2026, the new special exhibition “Animals on Board – Knowledge, Goods, MIracles” will tell the story of how cats, dogs, and birds sailed the seas alongside humans.

Puppchen the dachshund and Hannes the monkey have been the museum's secret stars since the special exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of the METEOR expedition. Captain's logs also tell of turtle races on deck, penguins that began a new life at Berlin Zoo after their sea voyage, and brave cats that even survived several shipwrecks.

Animals were often the second most important “crew” on board, whether invited or unwanted. While monkeys, dogs, and cats were welcome companions that alleviated the loneliness at sea, rats, grain beetles, mussels, black widows, and shipworms were unwelcome stowaways. The relationship with animals was also quite natural and pragmatic when they were considered souvenirs or commodities.

The special exhibition “Animals on Board – Knowledge, Goods, Miracle” which opens on July 2, 2026, on the occasion of the theme year “Biotope Ship,” links maritime history and natural history in an innovative way. In addition to encounters with famous animal “fellow travelers,” it highlights the interactions between shipping and biodiversity.

A varied accompanying program invites visitors to explore the exhibition until April 2027.