Hamburg is adding a playful twist to its streets as Ernie and Bert from Sesame Street appear on pedestrian traffic lights at two city intersections from January 13, 2026. The initiative, announced by North German Broadcasting (NDR), places the familiar characters at crossings near its facilities, blending everyday infrastructure with television nostalgia.
The new pedestrian symbols will be installed at the corner of Hugh-Greene-Weg and Julius-Vosseler-Straße, and at Rothenbaumchaussee and Oberstraße. The unveiling is scheduled for January 13, 2026, at 12 noon, with representatives from both NDR and Sesame Workshop Europe attending the ceremony.
A small change that makes the city smile
Pedestrian traffic lights rarely attract attention, but Hamburg’s decision to feature Ernie and Bert turns a routine street crossing into a moment of recognition for locals and visitors alike. Instead of the standard walking and waiting figures, pedestrians will see the striped-shirted Bert and his cheerful companion Ernie guiding them safely across the road.
The choice of location is deliberate. Both intersections sit close to NDR buildings, underlining the broadcaster’s long-standing relationship with Sesame Workshop. According to NDR, the German version of Sesame Street has been produced there for more than 50 years, making Hamburg a quiet but important hub in the programme’s international history.
While the lights are fully functional traffic signals, they also act as a form of urban storytelling. Cities across Germany have experimented with themed pedestrian lights in recent years, but Hamburg’s version taps into a globally recognised brand that resonates across generations.
Why it matters for visitors
For travellers, the Ernie and Bert crossings offer a small but memorable sightseeing stop, especially for families or anyone who grew up with Sesame Street. They are free to visit, easy to reach, and located in neighbourhoods that already attract walkers thanks to nearby parks, cafés and cultural venues.
The installation also reflects Hamburg’s broader approach to city branding: understated, creative and rooted in media culture rather than spectacle. There is no ticketed attraction or temporary pop-up, just a permanent reminder of how television history intersects with daily life.
From January 13 onward, pedestrians and drivers will encounter the characters as part of their normal routines. It is a modest change, but one that adds warmth and personality to the cityscape, proving that even a traffic light can tell a story when familiar faces are involved.
