The paddle steamer Kaiser Wilhelm - a floating museum

The over 125-year-old museum paddle steamer "Kaiser Wilhelm" is one of the last coal-fired paddle steamers still in operation in Germany and one of the last in the world to be largely preserved in its original condition. It is the largest exhibit at the Elbe Shipping Museum in Lauenburg/Elbe.

The ship was built in 1900 in Dresden for the later Oberweserdampfschifffahrt F.W. Meyer in Hameln and was taken over by the Verein zur Förderung des Lauenburger Elbschiffahrtsmuseums e. V. in 1970. The listed steamer is a genuine historical, technical and cultural contemporary document. It symbolizes living cultural and transport history since 1900.

Trips are offered every 14 days from the end of April to the end of September. Destinations are Bleckede, Geesthacht and Hitzacker. Relax on deck during the trip or take a look in the engine room, where the stokers and engineers work tirelessly to keep the ship moving. The galley crew will spoil you with delicacies on board.

Ship data

Length 57.20Width on frame 4.48 m

Width over wheel arches 8.38 m
Maximum draught 0.92 m
Propulsion inclined 2-fold expansion steam engine from 1900
PSi 168
Boiler 1 cylinder boiler with 2 flame tubes made by Engelke from Hanover in 1954 with 12 bar
On-board current 220 volts
Approval for 270 persons

The entire crew of the steamer works on a voluntary basis.

General information