Visiting Museums in Berlin

Art, archaeology, history, literature... find out how to make the most of the museums using discount tickets and vouchers...

There are literally hundreds of museums in Berlin, ranging from the gigantic Pergamon museum, which houses an original Pergamon altar, to a great number of independent art galleries and private collections, around the city's residential areas.

Discounts and Special Events

Many museums offer discounts for students, groups (when booked in advance), pensioners and the unemployed (on presenting the correct documentation). There are also regular special museum openings and discounts.

Berlin State Museum ticket

Single-day or three-day passes are available to visit all state-run museums in Berlin (not valid for special exhibitions). Participating museums include the Altes Museum, the Alte Nationalgalerie, the Bode Museum, the Pergamon Museum, the Schinkel Museum, the Hamburger Bahnhof, the Musical Instrument Museum, the Painting Gallery, the Art Library, the Museum of European Cultures, the Museum of Prints and Drawings, the Egyptian Museum, the Berggruen Collection, the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the Neue Nationalgalerie, the Romantic Gallery and the Primeval and Early History Museum.

Tickets can be bought from any of the participating museums.

Special events

• Lange Nacht der Museen (Long museum night): This event happens twice a year. Ticket-holders may visit all participating museums until 02:00. There is also a free bus service between museums. Tickets can be bought in any participating museum
• On the first Thursday of every month, a large selection of Berlin's major museums offer free entrance between 18:00-22:00

Berlin Museum Island (Museuminsel)

Museum Island lies between the river Spree and Kupfergraben and was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2000. The island is made up of a number of museums: the Pergamon Museum, Altes Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie, Bode Museum and the Neues Museum and houses archaeological collections and 19^th century art.

Museums and Monuments in Berlin

Pergamon Museum

Home to three independent collections: the museum of Antiquities, the museum of Islamic Art and the Museum of near Eastern Antiquities.

• Pergamon Museum
  At: Bodestr. 1-3, Am Kupfergraben 5, 10117 Berlin-Mitte
  Tel: 030 2090 5555
  Open: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-18:00 (Thursdays until 22:00)
  

Altes Museum

Collections of Egyptian art including works from the reign of Akhenaton and his queen, Nefertiti.

• Altes Museum
  At: Lustgarten, 10178 Berlin-Mitte
  Tel: 030 2090 5577
  Open: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-18:00
  

Jewish Museum (Jüdisches Museum)

The Jüdisches Museum has over 3,000 square metres of exhibition space covering German-Jewish life over the last 2,000 years and Jewish history and art.

• Jewish Museum
  At: Lindenstrasse 9-14, 10969 Berlin-Kreuzberg
  Tel: 030 2599 3300
  Open: daily 10:00-20:00 (Mondays until 22:00)
  e-mail
  

Checkpoint Charlie

Probably one of the most famous border crossing points. All that remains is a watchtower that houses a museum documenting the history of the Berlin wall, through films, texts and photos.

• Checkpoint Charlie
  At: Friedrichstrasse 43-45, Berlin
  Tel: 030 253 7250
  Open: 09:00-22:00 daily
  e-mail
  

Deutsche Kinemathek

The Berlin film museum on Potsdamer Platz has several permanent exhibitions; one traces the pioneering early days of cinema, through film.

• Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum für Film und Fernsehen
  At: Potsdamer Strasse 2, Berlin
  Access details on the website in English

Further Information

• Berlin museums website