Friendly disclaimer! We want to be as accurate as possible, but given these challenging times, we urge you to recheck that the venues are open when you decide to visit.
Berlin, a city rich in history, tells stories of its past through the many museums that dot its expanses. Here are 15 museums that we recommend that you must visit in Berlin.
Neues Museum
This museum holds the double distinction of being a restored historical building as well as a modern museum. Originally built from 1843 to 1855 and bombed in WWII, it was uniquely restored by architect David Chipperfield in the 2000s. It houses mainly three collections: Egyptian Art, prehistoric objects and classic antiquities. Egyptian Mummies (Queen Nefertiti!), sculpture, Sarcophagi, Trojan Antiquities, a Neanderthal skull are some of the popular attractions!
Address: Bodestrasse 1-3
Phone: +49 30 266 424 242
Timings: Fri – Wed 10 am to 6 pm , Thur up to 8 pm
Website: https://www.smb.museum/en/museumsinstitutions/neuesmuseum/home/
Pergamon Museum
This world-famous museum is known for its impressive reconstruction of massive archaeological structures – the Pergamon Altar, Roman Market Gate of Miletus, the Ishtar Gate and Processional Way from Babylon, and the Mshatta Façade. Due to renovations, the Pergamon Altar and the North wing remain closed till 2024. Due to construction and long lines, one may have to budget a few hours for the visit.
Address: Bodestrasse 1-3
Phone: +49 30 266 424 242
Timings: Fri – Wed 10 am to 6 pm and Thur up to 8 pm
Website: https://www.smb.museum/museen-einrichtungen/pergamonmuseum/home/
Deutsches Historisches Museum
This museum narrates an extensive history of German and European history over 2000 years across an area spanning 8000 square meters. Right from the sixth century AD to the German reunification, explore Luther’s theses, the origins of WWII, relics from the Battle of Waterloo, to name a few.
Address: Unter den Linden 2
Phone: +49 30 20304-750/-751
Timings: Every day 10am to 6pm
Website: https://www.dhm.de/en/
Judisches Museum
This is the largest Jewish museum in Europe exhibiting its socio-cultural and political history from the 4th century to the present. The new, zinc-panelled, zigzag-shaped building designed by Daniel Libeskind represents the tensions between German and Jewish history. It is today one of Berlin’s most famous landmarks.
Address: Lindenstrasse 9-14
Phone: +49 30 2599 3300
Timings: 10am to 8pm
Website: http://www.jmberlin.de
Hamburger Bahnhof Museum
This former railway terminal today houses one of the world’s best contemporary art collections. It displays seminal works of modern art in the form of installations, videography, photography, sculpture, paintings and more. Learn how styles such as minimalism, pop art, expressionism, and more developed. Witness the works of greats like Andy Warhol, Cy Twombly, Joseph Beuys, and Robert Rauschenberg.
Address: Invalidenstrasse 50-51
Phone: +49 30 266 424 242
Timings: Tue, Wed & Fri 10 am to 6 pm, Thu till 8 pm, Sat & Sun 11 am to 6 pm
Website: https://www.smb.museum/museen-einrichtungen/hamburger-bahnhof/home/
Museum fur Naturkunde
The museum mission statement: ‘discover and describe life on earth – with people, through dialogue’ defines it best. Besides being an important research museum, it houses over 30 million items covering zoology, palaeontology, geology, and mineralogy. If fossils are your thing, watch out for Tristan the T-Rex, the 12m-high Brachiosaurus branchai, and Knut the world’s most famous dead polar bear; among others.
Address: Invalidenstr. 43
Phone: (030) 889140-8591
Timings: Tue – Fri 9.30 am to 6 pm, Sat & Sun 10 am to 6 pm
Bode Museum
For starters, entering this dome-shaped, neo-baroque building by crossing the Monbijou Bridge over the water is a treat by itself. Inside, it houses sculptures from the early Middle Ages to the 18th century, including the magnum opus of masters like Tilman Riemenschneider, Donatello and Giovanni Pisano. Besides this, it hosts Byzantine art and an ancient coin collection.
Address: Am Kupfergraben & Monbijoubrücke
Phone: +49 30 266 424 242
Timings: Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, and Sun 10 am to 6 pm, Thur up to 8pm
Website: http://www.smb.museum/bode-museum
Altes Museum
This structure stands proudly as the nucleus of Berlin’s historic Museum Island. Its Pantheon inspired neoclassical architecture is awe-inspiring. Speaking of which, its prized antiquities collection is too. Explore ancient Greece, Etruscan and Roman life through sculptures, vases, tomb reliefs and jewellery. Crowd pullers include the Praying Boy bronze sculpture, Roman silver vessels, an ‘erotic cabinet’ and portraits of Caesar and Cleopatra.
Address: Bodestraße 1-3
Phone: +49 30 266 424 242
Timings: Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, and Sun 10 am 6 pm, Thur up to 8pm
Website: http://www.smb.museum/altes-museum
Museum Berggruen
Featuring important works by Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, Henri Matisse, and Alberto Giacometti, this is a delight for any classical modern art lover. Works by Cézanne, Van Gogh, Braque, Matisse and a selection of African art objects are also a major draw.
Address: Schlossstrasse 1
Phone: +49 30 266 424 242
Timings: Tue – Fri 10 am to 6 pm, Sat & Sun from 11 am
Museum der Unerhorten Dinge
Even if you enjoy the weird and the bizarre, the Museum of Extraordinary Things will still take you for a ride. Founder Roland Albrecht has created stories blurring fiction and reality around all its unusual displays. It offers its own take on history through artefacts such as the (allegedly) telescope of Columbus, an original letter by Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, a Japanese bonsai deer fur, a petrified potato, ‘white red wine’ and the relief of Soviet space dog Laika.
Address: Crellestrasse 5-6
Phone: +49 175 410 9120, +49 30 781 4932
Timings: Wed – Fri 3 pm to 7 pm
Museum fur Fotografie
A Mecca for photography buffs, The Museum of Photography is renowned for its innovative photography exhibitions. Here, the Helmut Newton Foundation hosts early and contemporary works of legendary fashion and nude photographer Helmut Newton. Apart from this, the Kunstbibliothek’s Collection of Photography hosts rotational exhibitions on the second floor which explore and push the boundaries of photography through works of its stalwarts.
Address: Jebensstrasse 2
Phone: +49 30 266 424 242
Timings: Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, and Sun 11 am to 7 pm, Thur up to 8 pm
Website: http://www.smb.museum/mf
Berliner Medizinhistorisches Museum
Attached to the hospital and university of Charité, this museum chronicles 300 years of medical history. The 750 organ collection of famous German pathologist Rudolf Virchow is still preserved here in both dry and wet form. Go if you can witness pathological specimens such as an arthritic knee, various stages of a brain tumour, fetuses with congenital deformities to name a few. It also houses an anatomical theatre, dissection hall and a historical ward. Note: 16-year-olds and below are not permitted without a guardian, for obvious reasons.
Address: Charitéplatz 1
Phone: +49 30 450 536 156
Timings: Tue, Thu, Fri & Sun 10 am to 5 pm, Wed & Sat up to 7 pm
Website: http://www.bmm-charite.de
Museum for Kommunikation
Learn how the world of human communication has evolved through history, from Morse code to smartphones. See rare items as the Blue Mauritius stamp or one of the first telephones. The interactive museum also offers introspective installations on the development and future of the information society. Visitors can send smoke signals, experience messaging via cable and tin can telephones, edit digital video clips, and upload to YouTube.
Address: Leipziger Strasse 16
Phone: +49 30 202 940′
Timings: Tue 9 am to 8 pm, Wed – Fri 9 am to 5 pm, Sat & Sun 10 am to 6 pm
Website: http://www.mfk-berlin.de
Ramones Museum
Dedicated to the idols of the original 70s American Punk movement, The Ramones, this is a must-visit for fans. What began as a Ramones memorabilia collection of a die-hard fan, became this café cum museum. Look for Marky Ramone drumsticks and Johnny Ramone jeans, a leather jacket signed by band members, signed album covers and much more.
Address: Oberbaumstrasse 5
Phone: +49 176 1043 8908
Timings: 10 am to 10 pm
Website: http://www.ramonesmuseum.com
Berlin’s museums give us a peek into the city’s myriad aspects, of history and culture, art and politics. If that has sparked your curiosity enough to explore it in-depth, check our detailed itinerary for 3 days in Berlin that will help you find some exciting experiences around the city!
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