Berlin has much to offer, and the selection of museums in the German capital is no exception. Whether it's art, history, computer games or a glimpse into the future - Berlin has the perfect museum for everyone.
Pre 1900. If you're interested in times long past, the following three world class museums are all located on or next to Museums Island in the heart of Berlin.
Just spectacular! In the popular Pergamon Museum, (hobby) archaeologists and history fans will certainly get their money's worth.
The number one visited Berlin Museum is divided into three areas: the Islamic Exhibition, the Antiquities Collection and the Museum of the Ancient Near East.
Exhibitions of note are the Hellenic Pergamon Altar from the 2nd century BC and the huge market gate of Miletus from the year 120 BC as well as the Mshatta Facade and the Ishtar Gate and Processional Way from Babylon and The lavish Aleppo room.
Address: Museums Island, Berlin, Bodestraße 1-3.
Opening times: Daily: 10:00am to 6:00pm (Open until 8:00pm on Thursdays)
Admission: €12 adults / €6 reduced
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The "Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection of the State Museums in Berlin", or “The Egyptian Museum of Berlin” is home to one of the world's most important collections of Ancient Egyptian artifacts.
After the building was given a facelift by star British architect David Chipperfield, this magnificent museum reopened its doors in 2009 and has thrilled fans of Egyptian high culture ever since.
The collection contains artefacts dating from between 4000 BC to the period of Roman rule. The highlight of the exhibition is the exceptionally well preserved bust of the beautiful Queen Nefertiti from 1338 BC.
Address: Museums Island, Berlin, Bodestraße 1-3.
Opening times: Daily: 10:00am to 6:00pm (Open until 8:00pm on Thursdays)
Admission: €12 adults / €6 reduced
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The concept of the spectacularly designed Bodemuseum goes back to the ideas of Crown Princess Victoria and was commissioned in 1904 by Emperor Wilhelm II.
The museum one of the largest collections of ancient sculpture in the world, the Museum of Byzantine Art as well as the impressive Coin Cabinet.
Address: Am Kupfergraben, Berlin Mitte
Opening times: Daily: 10:00am to 6:00pm (Open until 8:00pm on Thursdays)
Admission: €10 adults / €6 reduced
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Museums covering more recent history. These impressive Berlin museums cover the recent history of Berlin, Germany and the world.
This detailed museum views itself as a place of "enlightenment and understanding of the common history of Germans and Europeans" and tells the story of 2,000 years of German history.
From the conquests of Charlemagne to Luther's theses and World War II to the fall of the Berlin Wall: the German History Museum paints a complete picture of German history with around one million exhibits.
The impressive foyer with its sweeping staircase and glass roofed courtyard is also a great photo opportunity.
Address: Unter Den Linden 2
Opening times: Daily: 10:00am to 6:00pm
Admission: €8 adults / €4 reduced
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In the Jewish Museum, the history and culture of Jews in Europe is told far beyond the Holocaust.
Films, works of art, documents and interactive exhibitions provide a colossal flood of information.
The architecture is also spectacular, especially within the museum.
Star architect Daniel Libeskind has impressively managed to combine an old baroque building and a new building in the style of deconstructivism.
Address: Lindenstraße 9-14, 10969 Berlin Kreuzberg
Opening times: Daily: 10:00am to 8:00pm
Admission: €8 adults / €3 reduced
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The Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie is a must for anyone interested in the Berlin Wall and the Cold War.
The private museum opened its doors in 1962, shortly after the Berlin Wall was built. The idea was to document the history of the Berlin Wall and the events associated with it.
Most impressive are the hair-raising reports of the refugees who risked their lives for freedom.
Address: Friedrichstr. 43-45, Kreuzberg
Opening times: Daily: 9:00am to 10:00pm
Admission: €14.50 adults / €9.50 reduced
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Since 1987, the Topography of Terror has been documenting the atrocities of the SS and the terror during the period of National Socialism in Germany with sound and video documents.
The headquarters of the SS, the Reich Security Main Office and the Secret State Police were located at the location of the museum during the Third Reich.
Address: Niederkirchnerstraße 8, Tiergarten
Opening times: Daily: 10:00am to 8:00pm
Admission: Free
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Pure Ostalgie (nostalgia for aspects of life in the DDR or communist East Germany): If you want to experience life how it was in the East, then this interactive DDR museum is perfect for you.
For example, visitors can sit down at a table in the DDR Museum and become a victim of state security interrogation using bone-sonic technology.
This requires physical exercise, because the visitor must place his elbows on two surfaces and press the palms of the hands on the ears. This is how the sound waves are directed through one's own bones.
There are also many exhibits covering everyday life in the East, such as a completely reconstructed living room in a prefabricated building. Ever wanted to sit in a Trabi? Of course you can do it at the DDR Museum.
Address: Lindenstraße 9-14, 10969 Berlin Kreuzberg
Opening times: Daily: 10:00am to 8:00pm Saturday: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Admission: €9.80 adults / €6 reduced
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In this museum, you can breathe Berlin's history.
Crazy, but fitting: the exhibit is housed in a nuclear bunker constructed by the Allies during the 1970s.
The history of Berlin from the founding of the city in 1237 to the present day is displayed in this unique museum.
The huge exhibition space is filled with exhibits created by authors, designers, film and stage builders.
Worth considering: This bunker is still fully operational and can protect up to 3,500 people.
Address:
Kurfürstendamm 207-208, Wilmersdorf
Opening times: Daily: 10:00am to 8:00pm
Admission: €12 adults / €9 reduced
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Art and photography. Of course, Berlin has fantastic museums for art lovers.
The Alte Nationalgalerie on Museums Island in central Berlin displays important works from Biedermeier, Romanticism, Impressionism and early Modernism.
Whether Caspar David Friedrich, Claude Monet or Paul Cézanne: everything that has rank and name is represented in one of Berlin’s most beautiful buildings.
Address: Bodestr. 1-3, Mitte
Opening times: Daily: 10:00am to 6:00pm (Open until 8:00pm on Thursdays)
Admission: €10 adults / €5 reduced
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Berlin’s former Museum of Applied Arts is now one of the most important exhibition houses in Europe, displaying contemporary and archaeological collections.
The special feature of this museum, however, are the new exhibition formats, created with contemporary artists to inspire, seduce and provoke.
The exhibitions of the Gropius Bau are constantly changing, so it's definitely worthwhile checking the current program prior to your visit.
Address: Niederkirchnerstraße 7, Mitte
Opening times: Daily: Daily: 10:00am to 7:00pm (Closed on Tuesdays)
Admission: Entry price varies
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Annie Leibovitz, Martin Parr, Anton Corbijn, Peter Lindbergh, or Stephen Shore: photography art fans will certainly receive their money's worth at C/O.
Founded in the year 2000, and originally housed at the Old Post Office on Oranienburger Straße, the C / O Berlin has quickly become one of Europe’s top addresses for photography.
Even after the move to the Amerikahaus near Zoo Station, nothing has changed.
Address: Hardenbergstraße 22–24, Charlottenburg
Opening times: Daily: 11:00am to 8:00pm (Opening at 10:00am on Tuesdays)
Admission: €10 adults / €6 reduced
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This former train station between Hamburg and Berlin was only in operation from 1846 to 1884.
During the German division the station spent decades unused in no man's land between West and East Berlin. Exactly the right setting for a museum of the present, right?
For every lover of modern art, the changing exhibitions at Hamburger Bahnhof are a must. There is also a permanent exhibition, i.a. with many artworks by Joseph Beuys.
Address: Invalidenstraße 50-51, Mitte (Tiergarten)
Opening times: Daily: 10:00am to 6:00pm (opening until 8:00pm on Tuesdays, closed Mondays)
Admission: €10 adults / €5 reduced
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The Boros Collection is a special museum located in an old bunker on Friedrichstraße, designed by Albert Speer, so a little out of the ordinary to say the least
The eerily beautiful setting houses works from the private collection of Christian and Karen Boros.
The exhibition is only open from Thursday to Sunday and can only be visited in small groups as part of a guided tour.
You must register in advance on the website (link below), and the dates are often already booked out several weeks in advance.
Address: Reinhardtstraße 20, 10117 Berlin
Opening times: Daily: Tuesday to Sunday, must pre-register
Admission: €15 adults / €9 reduced
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Museums with children. Visiting Berlin with kids? You wont have any trouble keeping the young ones entertained in Berlin.
The brand new Futurium offers interactive exhibitions for young and old.
The Futurium is dedicated to our future, posing the question: how do we want to live? Visitors are able to explore varying possible futures, discuss them in the forum together and try out their own ideas in the Futurium Lab.
Visitor can also get a great view of Berlin from from the roof of the building. Definately worth a visit, also free!
Address: Alexanderufer 2, 10117 Berlin
Opening times: Mo, We, Fr, Sa, Su: 10:00am – 18:00pm
Thurs: 10:00 – 20:00 Uhr
Tues: closed
Admission: Free
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The German Museum of Technology is not a classic museum for children, but it is definitely very exciting for kids.
This museum of science and technology displays an impressive collection of historical technical artifacts, which the Germans have been fairly good at over the years.
Particularly in aviation, aerospace and the automotive sectors, the Technical Museum has some real eye-catchers for all ages.
Address: Trebbiner Straße 9, Kreuzberg
Opening times: Tues to Fr: 9:00am to 5:30pm
Sa, Su: 10:00am to 6.00pm
Mo: closed
Admission: €8 adults / €4 reduced
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The absolute highlight in the Natural History Museum is the world's largest dinosaur skeleton. That alone makes children's (and some adults) eyes shine.
Additionally, this huge museum displays countless fossils, minerals and animals to amaze young and old adventurers.
Address: Invalidenstr. 43, Mitte
Opening times: Tues to Fr: 9:30am to 6:00pm
Sa, Su: 10:00am to 6.00pm
Mo: closed
Admission: €8 adults / €3 reduced
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Special museums. Seen enough art, culture and history? Here are a few different museums for you.
The computer game museum in Friedrichshain is an ode to digital entertainment. Here you can see the evolution of the digital game culture: long-forgotten game consoles meet the virtual-real world of the future.
Exhibitions such as "Monsters Attack Planet Earth" lure even die-hard sofa stools into the museum.
You can play Pacman on the original machine in a computer game arcade from the 80s or have another go at Mario Kart on the Nintendo 64.
Address: Karl-Marx-Allee 93A, Friedrichshain
Opening times: Daily: 10:00am to 8:00pm
Admission: €9 adults / €6 reduced
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Dare to take a peek beneath the skin? Right at the Alexanderplatz under the TV Tower you can examine the structure of the human body with whole body plastinates.
Quick-Fact: All anatomical preparations shown in "Body Worlds" are real.
The world-famous and much-criticized Doctor Death, real name Gunther von Hagens, has opened a permanent exhibition in Berlin, in which more than 200 anatomical exhibits of humans and animals can be seen.
Always wanted to know how we would look without our skin? Here you can.
Address: Panoramastrasse 1A, Mitte
Opening times: Daily: 10:00am to 7:00pm
Admission: €14 adults / €12 reduced
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