The only one of its kind in Germany, Berlin's Hemp Museum (Hanf Museum Berlin) houses eight rooms of exhibits examining the plant genus Cannabis from various perspectives. While the impact of Cannabis as a narcotic is a point of discussion, it is not the primary one. Instead, the exhibition focuses on the diverse uses of a plant that has been cultivated for 10,000 years and continues to gain importance in current economic and medical circles today.
The biological characteristics of hemp are presented alongside the history of its cultivation, growth, harvest and processing. From very early on, mooring rope and textiles were made of hemp fibre. In the Middle Ages, for example, the fibres were also recycled to be used as paper: in fact, even Gutenberg used them to press the first books. Today, hemp is used, among other things, as insulating material and also in cosmetics and medicine. The exhibition also looks at the ritualistic use of cannabis in different cultures around the world from Jamaica to India.
The final exhibition room provides information about current laws pertaining to marijuana. In the reading café, visitors can also enjoy art and watch videos dealing with the subject of hemp.