Established 1993 Visitors 675,000 Public transit access Heumarkt | Location Cologne, Germany Phone +49 221 9318880 | |
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Address Am Schokoladenmuseum 1A, 50678 Köln, Germany Hours Open today · 11AM–7PMSaturday11AM–7PMSunday11AM–7PMMondayClosedTuesday10AM–6PMWednesday10AM–6PMThursday10AM–6PMFriday10AM–6PM Similar Romano‑Germanic Museum, KölnTriangle, Museum Ludwig, Hohenzollern Bridge, Cologne Cathedral Profiles | ||
Imhoff schokoladenmuseum
The Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum (Imhoff chocolate museum) was opened by Hans Imhoff on 31 October 1993. It is situated in the Cologne quarter of Altstadt-Süd on the Rheinauhafen peninsula. The exhibits show the entire history of chocolate, from its beginnings with the Olmecs, Maya and Aztecs to contemporary products and production methods.
Contents
With 5,000 guided tours and 675,000 visitors a year, the museum is in the Top Ten of German museums. The museum is entirely self-supporting, receiving no subsidy. It has its own marketing department and is used by the Schokoladenmuseum Gastronomie GmbH for events.
Operator
The museum is run by the Schokoladenmuseum Köln GmbH. Since March 2006, the Swiss chocolate manufacturer Lindt & Sprüngli has been its partner in producing exhibits. Prior to that the partner was the Cologne chocolate producer Stollwerck, and the museum was formerly known as the Imhoff-Stollwerck-Museum.
Attractions
Among the most valuable items in the museum's collection are 18th and 19th-century porcelain and silver bowls and vessels for drinking chocolate from pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The museum also has on display historical chocolate machines and moulds for forming chocolate in different shapes, and a collection of historical chocolate vending machines.