Exterior view of the German Football Museum Dortmund - directly at the main station
Deutsches Fußballmuseum Dortmund, Exterior view of the German Football Museum Dortmund - directly at the main station

German Football Museum in Dortmund

Dortmund

When the room lights regularly go out and the large screens light up, it gives you goosebumps. "Rahn shoots", "Özil scores" or "Müller turns on his own axis and...." - the monitors show magical moments of huge celebrations that make it clear why soccer needs a museum.

It has been located in Dortmund since 2015, no more than an hour away from five Bundesliga stadiums. Schalke, Cologne and record champions also venture inside here, right next to the main train station. There are 200,000 visitors a year, with BVB's home match days attracting the most visitors when the visiting fans are in town. The building is not divided into floors, but halves.

Divided into first and second halves

The first is dedicated to the national team. Their victories, their defeats, their history. And that falls far too short. The museum shows more. The treatment of Jewish players during the National Socialist era, for example. It describes the political dimensions of international matches, such as the German-German World Cup match that Sparwasser decided in favor of the GDR team. Or it remembers the player Lutz Eigendorf. His fatal traffic accident, which appears in Stasi documents, is a mystery. Of course, the exhibition also shines in many places, thanks to the stars on the jerseys, the imperial aura of the Beckenbauer display cases and many victory trophies. Incidentally, the trophies of the women's national team fill more exhibition space than those of their male counterparts.

The second half belongs to the club colors, fan culture, reporters' voices and other accessories - Christoph Daum's balloon-silk trainer jacket, for example, which was once stolen property. All in all, it is also a kind of cultural history that the museum presents in many facets - and in a very entertaining way. So the exhibition organizers are not at all surprised when it is not the clichéd male fan with a home-color scarf who enters the building, but a well-mixed audience. They can also experience the skills of the professionals for themselves: for example, in the lying position of Klaus Fischer with his "goal of the century".

After the end of the second half, there is a stoppage time, the pitch on the first floor. This is no longer about soccer history, immortal heroes and sports politics: here the ball simply has to go in the goal.

Important information about accessibility: certificates

  • All areas relevant for testing meet the quality criteria of the label "Accessibility certified - accessible for people with walking disabilities and wheelchair users".

    Some information on accessibility are listed below. For detailed information please see the evaluation report.

    • There is one parking space 1 at the museum. There are two marked parking spaces for people with disabilities (space size: 350 cm x 580 cm).
    • The path from car park 1 to the entrance is 30 m long. It is easy to walk and drive on and has a maximum longitudinal slope of 3 %. 
    • There is a museum-owned car park 2 with two marked parking spaces for people with disabilities (space size: 360 cm x 500 cm).
    • The path from car park 2 to the entrance is 40 m long. It is easy to walk and drive on. 
    • The building is accessible without steps.
    • All rooms and facilities that can be used and raised for the guest are accessible without steps or via lifts.
    • Lift cabin 1 is 135 cm x 150 cm. 
    • Lift cabin 2 is 108 cm x 138 cm. 
    • Lift cabin 3 is 140 cm x 225 cm. 
    • All doors/passages that can be used by the guest and are raised are at least 90 cm wide.
    • The cash desk is 77 cm high at the lowest point. There is another, equivalent means of communication while seated.
    • The exhibits are predominantly visible while seated. The information on the exhibits can be read mainly while sitting. 
    • Tables in the bistro are accessible by wheelchair (maximum height 80 cm, accessible by wheelchair at a height of 67 cm and a depth of 30 cm).
    • Guided tours are offered for people with walking disabilities and wheelchair users. Advance booking is necessary.
    • Mobile or fixed seating is available for people with walking disabilities to use during the tour.
    • The entire route of the guided tour is step-free for wheelchair users.
    • Aids offered: wheelchair, rollator, audio guides

    Two public toilets for people with disabilities (upper floor)

    • The movement areas are:
    • in front of/behind the door, in front of the WC and in front of the washbasin at least 150 cm x 150 cm;
    • to the left and right of the WC at least 90 cm x 70 cm.
    • Grab rails are provided to the left and right of the WC. The grab rails can be folded up.
    • The washbasin is accessible from underneath.
    • The mirror can be viewed while standing or sitting.
    • There is an alarm trigger.
    Detailed information for people with walking difficulties and wheelchair users
  • All areas relevant for testing meet the quality criteria of the label "Accessibility certified - accessible for people with hearing impairment and partially accessible for deaf people".

    Some information on accessibility are listed below. For detailed information please see the evaluation report.

    • The alarm is clearly visually perceptible throughout the building.
    • There is an inductive hearing system.
    • An outgoing emergency call in the lift is confirmed visually.
    • Information about the exhibits is provided in writing. There is partly acoustic and photo-realistic information on the exhibits.
    • Alternatively stairs are available.
    • In the bistro, there are tables with bright and glare-free lighting, with no lamps standing or hanging that interfere with the field of vision or eye contact. There is a seating area with low ambient noise (e.g. seating area, separate room).
    • Guided tours for people with hearing disabilities and deaf people (in German sign language) are offered. Advance booking is necessary.
    • Guided tours with FM equipment are made possible for people with hearing disabilities (e.g. headphones, neck ring loops).
    Detailed information for people with hearing impairments and hearing loss
  • All areas relevant for testing meet the quality criteria of the label "Accessibility certified - partially accessible for people with visual impairments and blind people".

    Some information on accessibility are listed below. For detailed information please see the evaluation report.

    • Assistance dogs may be brought into all relevant areas/rooms.
    • The entrance is visually contrasting.
    • All raised areas that can be used by the guest are well lit, i.e. bright and glare-free.
    • There are no visually contrasting or tactile floor indicators.
    • The signage is designed in legible and high-contrast lettering.
    • Information for orientation is available in Braille or prismatic writing.
    • An outgoing emergency call in the lifts is confirmed acoustically. The stop position is not announced by speech. The operating elements are designed with high visual contrast and are tactilely detectable.
    • Alternatively, stairs are available.
    • Stairs usually have visually contrasting edges at least on the first and last step.
    • Stairs have at least one handrail on one side.
    • The exhibits are generally well lit.
    • The information on the exhibits is mainly provided in writing and is visually contrasting.
    • There is partly acoustic information about the exhibits. 
    • Information on the exhibits is partly tactile (Braille, prismatic writing).
    • Guided tours for people with visual impairments and blind people are offered. Advance booking is necessary.
    • Touch exhibits are integrated during the guided tours. A museum case contains characteristic objects to feel.
    Detailed information for people with visual impairments and the blind
  • All areas relevant for testing meet the quality criteria of the label "Accessibility certified - accessible for with cognitive impairments".

    Some information on accessibility are listed below. For detailed information please see the evaluation report.

    • The name or logo of the museum is clearly recognizable from the outside.
    • The objectives of the paths are always within sight or signs in visible distance are available.
    • There is no colored or pictorial guidance system available.
    • Information for orientation is partly available
      audibly and with pictorial symbols (pictograms, photorealistic representation).
    • Information on the exhibits is partially provided in easy language.
    • The operating elements or the signage in the lifts are colour-coded (according to an appropriate guidance system).
    • The dishes are visibly presented (buffet, bar).
    • Guided tours for people with cognitive impairments are offered. A reservation in advance is necessary.
    • The guided tour for people with cognitive impairments is given using easy language.
    Detailed information for people with walking difficulties and wheelchair users

Important information at a glance

  • Closed today
    Tuesday10:00 - 18:00
    Wednesday10:00 - 18:00
    Thursday10:00 - 18:00
    Friday10:00 - 18:00
    Saturday10:00 - 18:00
    Sunday10:00 - 18:00

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