Schokoladenmuseum Köln facts for kids
| Schokoladenmuseum Köln | |
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| Established | 1993 |
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| Location | Cologne, Germany |
| Visitors | 650,000 (2023) |
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The Chocolate Museum Cologne (also known as the Imhoff Chocolate Museum) is a super cool place in Cologne, Germany. It was opened by Hans Imhoff on October 31, 1993. This museum is located right on the Rheinauhafen peninsula, which is a neat spot by the river.
Inside, you can explore the amazing history of chocolate! You'll learn how chocolate was first made by ancient civilizations like the Olmecs, Maya, and Aztecs. The museum also shows how chocolate is made today. It has a special area that explains how modern chocolate is produced.
This museum is very popular. About 650,000 people visit it every year. It offers around 4,000 guided tours annually. This makes it one of the top ten most visited museums in Germany. The museum manages its own operations and events.
Contents
How the Chocolate Museum Started
The idea for the Chocolate Museum came from Hans Imhoff. He was a chocolate maker from Cologne. Hans Imhoff owned a big chocolate company called Stollwerck AG. This company had a long and important history in making chocolate.
When Stollwerck moved to a new building in 1975, Hans Imhoff saw many old items. These items showed the company's past. He thought these historical pieces should be kept and shown to the public. That's when he decided to build a chocolate museum.
Testing the Idea for a Museum
At first, some people were not sure about Hans Imhoff's museum idea. So, he decided to try out an exhibition first. From July 8 to August 20, 1989, he set up a chocolate display in Cologne's Gürzenich hall. This was to celebrate Stollwerck's 150th birthday.
A special part of this exhibition was a chocolate fountain. Hans Imhoff had hoped for a certain number of visitors. But in just six weeks, more than five times that many people came! This showed him that a chocolate museum would be a big success.
Building the Museum
Hans Imhoff started planning the museum in October 1991. He bought an old customs office building and a tower from 1898. He also bought a swing bridge. A new building was added next to these old structures.
The new building was finished by October 1993. Its design looks a bit like a modern ship. The Chocolate Museum officially opened its doors on October 31, 1993. Building this unique museum cost about 53 million German Marks.
Museum Partners Over Time
Hans Imhoff sold his Stollwerck company in 2002. Later, in 2006, the chocolate company Lindt & Sprüngli became the museum's new partner. Before that, Stollwerck had been the main partner. Because of this change, the museum's name was updated. It is now known as the Cologne Chocolate Museum.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum's exhibits cover the entire story of chocolate. You can learn about its ancient beginnings with the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec people. Then, you'll see how chocolate products are made today.
How Chocolate is Made
The museum has a special area that is about 4,000 square meters (43,000 sq ft). Here, you can see a small chocolate factory in action. It shows you how chocolate is made on a large scale. You can watch miniature machines at work. They make small chocolate bars, which visitors sometimes get at the entrance!
The Chocolate Fountain
One of the most exciting attractions is the huge chocolate fountain. It stands 3 meters (10 ft) tall! A museum employee dips wafers into the flowing liquid chocolate. Then, they hand out these tasty treats to visitors. It's a very popular spot!
Cacao Trees and Old Tools
You can also visit a small glass house called a tropicarium. It's about 10 square meters (108 sq ft) in size. Inside, you'll find real cacao trees. These are the trees where chocolate beans come from.
The museum also displays many old and valuable items. These include beautiful porcelain and silver bowls from the 1700s and 1800s. People used these to drink chocolate. There are also ancient vessels from pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. You can see historical chocolate machines and molds. These molds were used to shape chocolate into different forms. There is even a collection of old chocolate vending machines.
The Museum Shop
Near the entrance, there is a large shop. It sells many different kinds of chocolate products and pralines. Since 2006, most of the chocolate sold here is from Lindt & Sprüngli. This is because Lindt & Sprüngli is the museum's current partner.
Location and Importance
The Chocolate Museum is located in the heart of Cologne. It sits on the Rheinau peninsula in the Rheinauhafen area. It is the most visited museum in Cologne. With 650,000 visitors each year, it is also one of the top ten most visited museums in Germany. The museum is a popular place for events.
See also
In Spanish: Museo del Chocolate Colonia para niños
