Maritime Museum Peenemünde U-461

Anchored in Peenemünde Harbor, not far from the main facility of the Peenemünde Army Research Centre is the Juliet-class Soviet submarine U-461. The submarine was acquired by Germany under complicated circumstances after the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. It now serves as a lifesize submarine museum.

Inside the submarine, visitors are left essentially unsupervised to explore the various nooks and crannies of the enormous ship. Lifesize models of crew members have been placed around the various sectors, creating an effect that is either cheesy or creepy depending on your perspective.

The U-461 was built in the early 1960s and served until the Juliet-class submarines were retired in the 1980s, making it a fascinating relic of the Cold War. Few explanatory notes are provided, meaning that the focus of any visit is on the ship itself and all its hidden secrets.