The museum, which will be discussed in this article, was opened in 1993 by the local chocolate factory Imhoff-Stollwerk, which has been producing this delicious sweet product since 1839. It is located 200 meters from the famous Cologne Cathedral.
This article will present this unusual historical and rather curious object located in Germany (the city of Cologne) - a chocolate museum. The description, its location and other information about it can be found by reading this article.
Museum Overview
This is a pretty interesting attraction that Cologne, a chocolate museum, can present for travelers. It is located on the German peninsula Reinaufen in a rather unusual building, shaped like a ship. The area of ​​the museum is more than 2000 square meters. meters.
It is important to note that the chocolate museum is not located at any confectionery factory, as is often the case. Exhibits are collected here and stored, reflecting the long and interesting history of the emergence of chocolate, the secrets of the technology of its manufacture from those very ancient times - starting with the Aztec and Mayan civilization and ending with the most modern products.
Where else can you see first-hand the production of the most delicious and beloved sweet product? In a city like Cologne. The Chocolate Museum can provide this opportunity to anyone who wishes. Even when buying tickets for his visit, everyone is given out small chocolates of his production.
It should be noted that in this museum you can trace the entire process of making chocolate from the very beginning to the receipt of the finished product. Even while waiting for your turn to visit the factory, you can consider almost the entire production process in advance, since only transparent glass walls separate the chocolate production line.
Location
The museum is located on the northern part of the Rheinauchen embankment, and it represents a modern building constructed of brick and glass.
This is one of the main and well-visited tourist attractions in Germany (the city of Cologne). The Chocolate Museum, whose address is Germany, 60578, Cologne, Shokoladenmuseum, 1A, differs from similar other museums in that it is organized, as already noted above, not at any confectionery factory, as is usual in other places. This is his feature.
Chocolate Museum in Cologne: photos, description, features
The interior decoration of the room is decorated in a modern style: original galleries, glass transitions and semicircular stairs.
The main exhibit of the museum is a miniature modern factory, where it is possible to see the manufacturing process of this delicious sweet product. Moreover, all this is automated and managed by only two employees using computer technology. They monitor the entire production and pack finished sweet products.
For tourists, especially those who love sweets, Cologne (the Chocolate Museum) is a great place for fascinating excursions.
The departments into which this historic building is divided represent many interesting exhibits. Here you can visit several objects: a greenhouse with tropical plants, a miniature chocolate factory (described in more detail a little higher) and the museum exhibit hall. At the exit of the building is a small store.
More details about the departments of the museum
The greenhouse at the museum is a glass cube with a large area (approximately 100 square meters). Its height is 10 meters. Exotic plants used in the manufacture of chocolate treats grow in it. Here you can fully feel the climate of this tropical forest. In addition to cocoa and coffee trees, vanilla and banana palms, more than 60 species of plants from the tropics grow in this magnificent greenhouse.
In the greenhouse, the same climate is maintained almost all the time. This is 100 percent humidity, 30 degrees of heat during the day, not lower than 20 degrees at night, hourly "start" of rain. In the greenhouse, everything is very well thought out, up to the point that you can get into it only through special lock doors that allow you to maintain the necessary indoor climate.
Freshly prepared chocolate products immediately go to the store located at the museum, where everyone can buy any product to their liking. In addition, everyone who visits the museum is given a small but very tasty sweet gift made in this museum.
The composition of the museum
The Chocolate Museum (Cologne) shows with its exposition the entire 30-century history of chocolate making. The exhibits are dedicated to the chocolate industry, its past and present. Most of them are devoted to the culture of the Aztecs (the indigenous peoples of Latin America), due to the fact that they were the first to learn how to process cocoa beans.
The exposition presents the most ancient recipes for the manufacture of chocolate and many other products created on its basis. You can see all the elements in any way associated with the chocolate industry: knives designed to collect cocoa beans; containers (baskets) for their transportation; mechanisms that process these fruits, etc.
And museum stands abound in curious photo materials.
The main element of the exposition is, of course, chocolate, represented in this museum by hundreds of species.
About the sweet exposition of the museum
For lovers of not only history, but also sweets, the city of Cologne is attractive. The Chocolate Museum in a separate room presents the products of those companies that occupy the highest positions in the market for products made from these raw materials: Kinder Surprise, Ritter Sport, Mars, Milka, Snickers and others.
The most impressive and fascinating exhibit of the museum is a huge 3-meter chocolate fountain. It looks like a magnificent fantastic bush. From four holes made of steel, liquid chocolate enters the pool. In total, about 200 kilograms of this delicious sweet mass circulate in it. Nearby, a standing girl dips wafers into it and treats them to everyone.
What else can be seen in the museum?
The museum also has its own “chocolate studio”, in which everyone, choosing the ingredients at his discretion, can order chocolate (of course, for a fee). Moreover, the customer can safely observe the entire process of manufacturing an exclusive product.
And for children in the museum there are various electronic games and quizzes.
On the top floor there are old vending machines used to sell chocolate. You can also see old posters that were previously used as advertising, paintings, packaging, antique dishes and other items relating specifically to chocolate and its production.
There is a cinema here, which demonstrates non-stop advertising of chocolate, and a separate room dedicated to the history of the development of the world-famous chocolate brands listed above. Moreover, they are presented by years, among which there are very ancient ones.
Visitors reviews
This is an amazing, magnificent spacious museum.
The city of Cologne, a chocolate museum, has a great place to visit sweet tooth tourists and locals. Reviews about him are the warmest. The admiration and surprise is caused by the huge variety of confectionery products offered by the store. From his visit, everyone has exceptionally good impressions and a sea of ​​positive emotions.
Here you can choose to taste anything from hundreds of items: chocolate sweets with various fillings; fine chocolate sets; chocolate-based liquors and syrups; tiles; various souvenirs and much more.
Conclusion
The top ten, most popular museums in Germany includes a chocolate museum located in a city such as Cologne. It takes up to 5000 excursions and about 650 thousand visitors a year.
And from the very beginning, that is, from the moment of its opening, a total of more than eight and a half million people visited the premises of the chocolate museum.