U17 submarine opens its hatches for visitors

The decommissioned Marine submarine U17 has been visited from the inside in the Technikmuseum Sinsheim in northern Baden-Württemberg since Saturday. According to the museum, more than 2,000 visitors have already come by the early afternoon. In the past few months, the 48 -meter -long and 350 -ton submarine has been prepared for the opening. What is offered – and is the visit worthwhile?

What can be seen in U17?

The eight 15 meter long torpedo pipes can be seen in the torpedo room, in which the weapons of the submarine used to be. Through one of the pipes, visitors can look outside. There are less than a square meter of small toilet with shower to visit, the beds of the 23 comrades crew, the combination with refrigerator, tables and benches, computer screens and keyboards, the operating center with periscope. Through the periscope, visitors can look outside and see the Russian aircraft Tupolev – an exhibition on the roof of the hall next door. Finally, it goes outside through the engine compartment.

What can be heard and experienced in U17?

Noises, as they were heard in U17, according to the museum: turning the ship screw, singing whales, bubbling water, the beeping of the sonar. It smells of sweat and machine oil. « The smell is fantastic, » said Matthias Krieg, deputy head of the museum workshop. « The submarine drivers call it the noble fragrance made of sweat, made of engine oil. » To do this, the submarine vibrates slightly thanks to vibrating panels. There is a section of the film « Das Boot » including alarm. In the meantime, the submarine is immersed in red light. Some switches can also change the visitors – and thus open and close valves.

Is it worth visiting the U17?

Anyone who is enthusiastic about technology, is interested in submarines or simply has children – the visit of U17 is worthwhile. The Technik Museum Sinsheim itself was worth a day trip before U17: classic cars in the halls, planes on the roofs, restaurant and café, the IMAX 3D cinema and for children a large playground, plus a giant slide and a racetrack for boxing cars.

Is it also worth driving hundreds of kilometers for U17?

Depending on how big the technology interest is, yes. If you want, you can also buy the two-day museum pass and visit the sister museum in Speyer around 45 kilometers away. In Sinsheim itself there is still the Thermen & Bathwelt Sinsheim, the conveyor technology museum on the history of the conveyor technology with an indoor play hall as well as the climate arena, an interactive museum on climate change and sustainability.

How extraordinary is the possibility of seeing U17 from the inside?

According to the Association of German submarines, U17 is the most modern museum submarine in Germany and the only one in its class. « The submarine class 206a was the main backbone of the Federal Republic’s submarine until 2008, » says President Michael Setzer. The other six museum submarines nationwide are all older, such as the submarine U9 in the Technik Museum Speyer. U17 also stands for the digitization of its location and weapon systems, said Setzer. It was equipped with eight torpedoes that could be fired at destinations more than 30 kilometers away.

How did U17 come to Sinsheim?

The location of the vehicle for 23 men was formerly Eckernförde on the Baltic Sea. U17 was deployed from 1973 to 2010. After the retirement, after discussions with the Federal Ministry of Defense and the Bundeswehr, a loan contract by the technology museums Sinsheim Speyer followed.

Two years ago – in May 2023 – a portal crane lifted the vehicle in Kiel on a swimming pontoon. After a stage destination in Speyer in the Palatinate, the boat reached Sinsheim last July. According to the museum, the entire project cost around two million euros and was mainly financed with donations.

How do visitors enter U17?

The nine meter high submarine stands in the parking lot in front of one of the museum halls. A 20-meter-long bridge to the submarine is enough from the hall. The entry into the U17 takes place via a hatch and a steep ladder into the torpedo room, the exit over the engine compartment.

Can people with Disabilities see U17 from the inside?

Access is over a steep ladder and therefore not accessible for the disabled. The walk through the submarine is also very narrow at 40 to 50 centimeters.

From what age can children visit U17?

There is generally no age restriction. However, all visitors who want to see U17 from the inside have to get in via a steep ladder with narrow steps. A visit to the submarine could make sense about the age of four from the age of four, said a spokesman for the museum.

What does a visit to the Sinsheim Museum cost?

A day entry for the museum costs 23 euros for adults and 18 euros for children from 5 to 14 years. Children up to 4 years do not pay admission. Tickets that contain a visit to the IMAX 3D cinema on the museum site or apply for two days are more expensive. The visit of U17 is included in the museum entry.

How are the museum’s opening times?

The museum is open from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

How do I get to the museum?

By car: The museum is located on the A6 motorway between Mannheim and Heilbronn. After the Sinsheim-Süd motorway exit, the signage of the museum leads to the goal. There are numerous parking spaces on and near the museum.

By train: Five minutes’ walk from the museum is the museum station « Sinsheim-Museum/Arena ».