This rich museum founded in 1908 traces the history of the town from its origins as the small Saxon village of Hammaburg to its development as a major Hanseatic metropolis in the 20C. The museum houses models of old Hamburg and interesting reconstructions, including a vast section devoted to the port and shipping (more than 100 boat models). It is also home to a scale model of the town's rail network, as well as historical fashion accessories, clothes and furniture several centuries old.