Possible location for new natural history museum found

In 2021, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg concluded a state treaty with the state of North Rhine-Westphalia to establish the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), which merged the Centre for Natural History of the University of Hamburg (CeNak) with the Zoological Research Museum Alexander-Koenig-Leibniz Institute for Animal Biodiversity (ZFMK) in Bonn. The core component of the state treaty is the establishment of a modern natural history museum in Hamburg.

As part of this, the Senate has been examining possible locations for an integrated research museum consisting of exhibition space, laboratories and collection archives since 2022. Due to the high requirements, the review is complex and time-consuming. It includes structural, legal, economic, transport and urban development policy issues. In particular, building sites 51 and 74/75 in HafenCity, the Hera-Halle Süd in Bahrenfeld as well as the Besenbinderhof and the former G+J building on Baumwall, which were offered to the Senate by the private sector, are being examined. On the initiative of entrepreneur Dieter Becken, the Senate is also examining accommodation in the Elbtower on the Elbe bridges.

The tests to date show that Of all the options, the Elbtower is emerging as the best quality and most economical location. The structural tests, which were carried out together with the LIB, have come to the conclusion that the Elbtower fulfils all technical and spatial requirements. The examinations carried out by the responsible authorities (financial authorities with Hamburger Gesellschaft für Vermögens und Beteiligungsmanagement mbH (HGV) and Sprinkenhof GmbH, science authorities and urban development authorities with HafenCity Hamburg GmbH (HCH)) have shown that the Elbtower is an ideal location for the new museum due to its central location on the Elbe bridges, its excellent public transport connections, its proximity to natural green spaces and its high visibility and public appeal, among other things. It can be assumed that the Natural History Museum in the Elbtower would be highly attractive and would set a special example for science and research in Hamburg. In addition, the Elbtower site is also the quickest to realise of all the options examined.

In order to successfully finalise the site selection process, the Senate, under the leadership of HGV, is negotiating directly with the bidding consortium led by Becken Development GmbH, which is in exclusive negotiations with the provisional insolvency administrator of the Elbtower owner company regarding the continuation of the Elbtower project.

Elbtower project. The key points are the contractual conditions for the possible acquisition of partial ownership of the Elbtower for the Natural History Museum and a potential reduction in the intended structural height of the property by twelve office floors.

The next step is to obtain a Senate resolution to continue negotiations with the consortium. The aim is to refer the matter to the Bürgerschaft as soon as possible and present a complete cost-benefit analysis in accordance with Section 7 LHO. The citizens will then make the final decision on the choice of location.

Prof. Dr Bernhard Misof, Director General of the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change: "The decision has been made and we are delighted to be entering the home straight with the new natural history museum. The Elbtower is a city-defining building that fulfils our central requirements for an integrated research museum: namely, to interlink the areas of research, collection, exhibition and communication in one place. We are also in an excellent location on the Elbe bridges, close to important museums and educational institutions in the city. We are well prepared to now move on to the concrete planning of the relocation."

Dr Peter Tschentscher, First Mayor: "With its excellent location, direct connection to the underground and S-Bahn network and its striking architecture, the Elbtower offers excellent conditions for a new natural history museum. The examinations and negotiations with the investor group for the completion of the Elbtower have shown that the realisation of the natural history museum in the Elbtower is technically possible and also economically advantageous compared to the city's own realisation. For the Senate, it is important that the completion of the Elbtower remains the responsibility and lead of the private investors and that the city does not assume any economic risks from the project beyond the acquisition of the partial ownership for the future natural history museum. The purchase price for the partial ownership and the installation of the natural history museum is to be contractually secured. I am delighted that this approach will enable the city to achieve two goals at the same time: Hamburg will have an attractive new natural history museum and HafenCity can be completed in terms of urban development with the completion of the Elbtower on the Elbe bridges."

Katharina Fegebank, Second Mayor: "When the idea of possibly building the Natural History Museum in the Elbtower came up just under a year ago, it immediately appealed to me. It was always clear to me that if it was technically feasible and the most economical solution, we should go for it. Today it is clear that it is technically feasible and the most economical solution. And it is also the best way overall. For the Natural History Museum, but also for the entire city and all its visitors, who will benefit enormously from this new highlight."

Dr Andreas Dressel, Senator for Finance: "We want to make a virtue out of necessity here. On the one hand, a property project that has been halted, on the other hand, our obligation under the state treaty to build a home for the Natural History Museum with global appeal. We now have the opportunity to accommodate the Natural History Museum in a 45 metre smaller Elbtower. This could save us up to 230 million euros - depending on the variant - compared to the city's own realisation. We are aware that the city's new position on these projects needs explaining to many people in the city: but as Senator for Finance, I am obliged under Section 7 of the State Budget Code to strive for the most economical project realisation option in each case. If the substantially downsized Elbtower now proves to be by far the most economical option, it is not only possible to change our position, we are even obliged to take the new situation into account. We will therefore now finalise the envisaged agreement while safeguarding all of the city's interests and present it to the city council for final deliberation and decision-making. Parliament must and will also have the final say in this matter."

Maryam Blumenthal, Senator for Science: "The new Natural History Museum will give Hamburg a centre for one of the greatest topics of our time: biodiversity and evolutionary research. As a forum for innovative educational and event programmes, it will become a beacon for Hamburg as a science location with its valuable collections. We promised the LIB an ideal home - and that is what it will get! The almost completed, intensive analyses have shown that the Elbtower is the best option both qualitatively and economically. This is a great opportunity: an integrated research museum with several hundred thousand visitors a year could be created much sooner than previously thought at a particularly visible entrance to our city, at the intersection of both sides of the Elbe, centrally located and directly connected to nature. Research, collection and museum under one roof - a place for dialogue, a strong sign of Hamburg's commitment to science, biodiversity and climate protection and a clear signal: Science is at home in Hamburg!"

Karen Pein, Senator for Urban Development and Housing: "It is good that we now have a solution - two years after construction was halted - as to how the Elbtower can be completed with a Hamburg consortium. Our investigations have come to the conclusion that the idea of the Hamburg consortium around the Becken company to house the Natural History Museum in the Elbtower and shorten it by twelve office storeys can be a solution that is advantageous for Hamburg in many respects and can thus prevent the building from being repurchased and demolished. HafenCity can thus be given its planned, impressive conclusion with the desired public use."

Site search and economic feasibility study

In order to find a location for the Natural History Museum, an interdisciplinary working group examined numerous options in Hamburg's urban area. The Science Department, the Senate Chancellery, the Department of Finance and Districts, the Department of Urban Development and Housing, the Department of Culture, the Department of the Environment and other municipal stakeholders were all involved. The initial 13 possible locations have now been reduced to five. These are both municipal and private sites, existing properties and new-build options. A qualitative comparison of these five potentially suitable locations is about to be finalised.

One of the final five shortlisted options is a new municipal building on the construction sites 74/75 at Lohsepark in HafenCity. This would cost the city around 824 million euros and, due to its fundamental transferability, is considered the reference point for further economic feasibility analyses. Based on the reference value and in comparison with the other feasible options, accommodation in the Elbtower is currently the most promising and economical realisation option. In particular, a partial acquisition of the Elbtower could be the most economical option. In addition, a partial acquisition would allow the new Natural History Museum to move into the premises much sooner, more cost-effectively and without assuming any construction risks of its own.

An indispensable prerequisite for a partial acquisition is that all planning, construction, delivery and other services required for the complete, defect-free, acceptance-ready, approved, functional, operational and turnkey construction completion of the Natural History Museum would be provided by the seller in the form of a fixed-price lump-sum contract. This means that the city would only be obliged to pay after the Elbtower has been completed. The subject of the negotiations is the acquisition of around 46,000 m² of special property including shared common areas at a maximum price of EUR 595 million.

The accommodation of the Natural History Museum in the Elbtower could be integrated into a further developed overall utilisation concept for the Elbtower. In addition to a mix of uses including a hotel, offices, restaurants and an underground car park, the new natural history museum could use the lower floors, which were intended for public-intensive uses from the outset. At the same time, the aim would be to reduce the originally planned building height of 245 metres by around 46 metres. This would bring the maximum building height to around 199 metres. The reduction in height is due to the elimination of 12 office storeys.

According to the current status, these changes developed together with the design architect, in particular the reduced height of the Elbtower, are compatible with urban planning.

Background: Natural History Museum

The new Natural History Museum is intended to unite Hamburg's collection, work and laboratory spaces as well as the exhibition and education areas of the LIB under one roof. The aim is to create a modern research museum that not only brings scientists together, but also attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

The LIB researches the causes and consequences of biodiversity change worldwide and develops solutions for the protection of ecosystems and species. Around 16 million objects belong to the collections, of which around 10 million are in Hamburg - a unique scientific resource. The new museum will be the first major permanent exhibition on evolution in Germany. At the moment, Hamburg's natural history collection is exhibited, at least in part, in the three museums "Museum der Natur Hamburg - Zoology", "Museum der Natur Hamburg - Geology-Palaeontology" and the "Museum der Natur Hamburg - Mineralogy" around the university campus.