Disclaimer
I do not assume any liability for the accuracy and currentness of the information provided throughout this book, nor for the contents on the cited websites. The publication of links to GoogleMaps is in line with their terms of use. Publishing maps from GoogleMaps is not allowed; therefore, this book does not contain any maps.
Preface
The capital has far more museums than rainy days and a vibrant art scene. This is precisely one of the many reasons why from a cultural point of view Berlin is hard to beat.
This museum guide reflects the current scene of the capital. I did my best to take all museums into account, but I might have missed some. The museums are sorted by district and listed alphabetically with their original German name.
Two of the museums are located outside the city borders, but thematically, they do belong to Berlin. The “Berliner S-Bahn Museum” (commuter train museum) is located in Potsdam, right on the border with Berlin. The Olympic Village from 1936 belongs to the municipality of Wustermark.
Berlin, July 2015
Claudia Stein
http://www.stein-books.comcheck for updates!
1 The Maps
In this book, you will only find links to online maps from Google. The links to Google Maps comply with Google’s terms of use. Showing these maps in the book would not be legal. You can print or downloaded them to a smart phone, for example. This also facilitates route planning.
2 Good to know!
2.1 Public Transport
On the website of the Berlin transport company (http://www.bvg.de), you can see how to reach your destination by public transport. It might be easier to use Google Maps if you decide to navigate through the museums with the help of the maps I listed for smart phones. A good app is “moovit”, it operates in several languages and uses very little data volume.
2.2 Welcome-Card & Museum’s Pass
The so-called „Welcome-Card“ combines public transport with the entrance to several museums. It also contains discount vouchers for shops and restaurants. The card is sold in hotels, the official tourist information centers and at the box office of the participating museums. For more information, please visit http://shop.visitberlin.de/
2.3 Payments
Many foreign tourists are quite astounded that credit card payment is rarely offered in Germany. And most of the time, only the German debit card is accepted. Make sure you have enough cash on you before you get in the line of the box office.
2.4 Free entrance
All public museums are free of charge for minors (up to 18 years of age). These museums are labeled “Staatliche Museen Berlin – SMB”.
The following museums are free of charge for everybody:
Charlottenburg
• Abgusssammlung antiker Plastik der Freien Universität Berlin
Cast Collection of Ancient Sculptur
• Architekturmuseum der Technischen Universität Berlin
Museum of Architecture at the Technical University of Berlin
• Bröhan-Museum (1st Wednesday of the month)
• Gedenkstätte Plötzensee am Gefängnis Plötzensee
Memorial Plötzensee at the Plötzensee prison
• Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis Kirche
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
• Museum Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
Dahlem
• Alliierten-Museum
Allied Museum
• Bernhard-Heiliger-Stiftung/ Offene Ateliers
Bernhard-Heiliger-Foundation/ Open Studios
Gatow
• Militärhistorisches Museum, Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr
Museum for Military History/ German Airforce Museum
Grünau
• Grünauer Wassersportmuseum
Grünau Watersport Museum
Grunewald
• Gleis 17 – Memorial for the deportation of the Jews
Platform 17 – Memorial for the Deported Jews
Hellersdorf
• DDR Wohnung
GDR flat
Hohenschönhausen
• Mies-van-der-Rohe Haus
Karlshorst
• Deutsch-Russisches Museum Berlin-Karlshorst
German-Russian Museum Berlin-Karlshorst
Köpenick
• Gedenkstätte Köpenicker Blutwoche Juni 1933
Memorial for the Köpenick Blood Week June 1933
• Hauptmann von Köpenick Exhibition
The Captain of Köpenick Exhibition
• Museum Köpenick
Kreuzberg
• FHXB Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Museum
• Künstlerhaus Bethanien
Artists‘ House Bethanien
• Kunstraum Kreuzberg/ Bethanien
Art Room Kreuzberg/ Bethanien
• Topographie des Terrors
Topography of Terror
• Zweirad-Museum
Bicycle Museum
Lichtenberg
• Museum Lichtenberg
Marienfelde
• Erinnerungsstätte Notaufnahmelager Marienfelde
Memorial Marienfeld Refugee Transition Camp
Marzahn
• Bezirksmuseum Marzahn-Hellersdorf
District Museum Marzahn
• Bockwindmühle Berlin-Marzahn
Post Mill Berlin-Marzahn
Mitte
• Akademie der Künste (Tuesdays 15.00-19.00)
Academy of the Arts Berlin
• Berliner Rathaus
Berlin City Hall
• Blindenwerkstatt Otto Weidt
Otto Weidt Workshop for the Blind
• Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
• Deutsche Bank Kunsthalle (Mondays)
Deutsche Bank Art Hall
• Deutscher Dom
German Dome
• Deutsches Historisches Museum (on 3 Oct.)
German Historical Museum
• Ephraim-Palais (1st Wednesday of the month)
• Forum Willy Brandt
• Gedenkstätte Stille Helden
Memorial Place Silent Heroes
• Knoblauchhaus
House of the Knoblauch Family
• Mendelssohn Remise
• Märkisches Museum (1st Wednesday of the month)
History of Berlin Museum
• Nikolaikirche (1st Wednesday of the month)
Nikolai Church
• Stasi-Unterlagen / Dauerausstellung
Stasi Archives / permanent exhibition
• Tränenpalast - Haus der Geschichte,
“Palace of Tears“ – House of History
Moabit
• Classic Remise Oldtimer-Automobilzentrum
Classic Remise (Oldtimer automobile center)
Neukölln
• Museum Neukölln
Niederschöneweide
• Dokumentationszentrum NS-Zwangsarbeit
Documentation Center Forced Labor under the Nazis
Pankow
• Pankow Museum
Prenzlauer Berg
• Museum in der Kulturbrauerei – Haus der Geschichte
Museum in the Kulturbrauerei, House of History
• Pankow Museum Prenzlauer Berg
Schöneberg
• Gedenkort SA-Gefängnis Papestraße
Memorial Site SA Prison Papestraße
• Haus am Kleistpark
House at Kleist Park
• Jugendmuseum Schöneberg
Youth Museum Schöneberg
• Museum der unerhörten Dinge
Museum of Outrageous Things
• Schöneberg Museum
• Schwerbelastungskörper
“Heavy Load Object“
Steglitz
• Deutsches Blindenmuseum
German Blind Museum
• Heimatverein Steglitz
Heritage Museum Steglitz
• Schwartzsche Villa
Villa Schwartz (Culture Department of the district)
Tempelhof
• Tempelhof Museum
Tiergarten
• Akademie der Künste (Tuesdays 15.00-19.00)
Academy of the Arts
• Deutsche Kinemathek (Thursdays 16.00-20.00)
3 Main Categories
Berlin is a special place for many reasons, and this is reflected in the local cultural offer. The city has always been attracting artists, and the number of art museums is noteworthy. Equally remarkable is the number of history museums. Post-war Germany came to terms with German history and made an honest effort not to sweep anything under the rug and present it as it was; from Bismarck to WW I, Nazi's era, WW II, division of Germany, reunification… each subject seems to have its own museum.
3.1 Art
• Akademie der Künste Berlin (Standort Tiergarten)
Academy of the Arts (venue Tiergarten)
• Alte Nationalgalerie
Old National Gallery
• Altes Museum
Old Museum
• Bauhaus-Archiv
Bauhaus Archive
• Berlinische Galerie - Museum für moderne Kunst
Berlin Gallery – Museum for Modern Art
• Bode-Museum
• Bröhan-Museum
• Brücke-Museum Berlin
• C/O Berlin
• Dalí
• Deutsche Bank Kunsthalle
Deutsche Bank Art Hall
• Gemäldegalerie im Kulturforum
Art Gallery in the Culture Forum
• Haus am Kleistpark
House at Kleist Park
• Haus am Lützowplatz
House at Lützowplatz
• Käthe-Kollwitz-Museum
• Keramik-Museum Berlin
Ceramic Museum Berlin
• KINDL - Zentrum für zeitgenössische Kunst
KINDL – Center for Contemporary Art
• Königliche Porzellan Manufaktur
Royal Porcelain Manufactory
• Kunsthalle Koidl
Art Hall Koidl
• Künstlerhaus Bethanien
Artists‘ House Bethanien
• Liebermann-Villa
• Martin-Gropius-Bau
• Museum Berggruen
• Museum für Fotografie/ Helmut Newton Stiftung
Museum for Photography/ Helmut Newton Foundation
• Museum für Gegenwart im Hamburger Bahnhof
Museum for Contemporary Art at the Hamburger Bahnhof
• Neue Nationalgalerie
New National Gallery
• Neues Museum
The New Museum
• Sammlung Boros
The Boros Collection
• Sammlung Daimler
The Daimler Collection
• Sammlung Hoffmann
The Hoffmann Collection
• Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg
The Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection
• Stiftung Olbricht im Me Collector’s Room
Olbricht Foundation in the Me Collector’s Room
3.2 Memorials
• Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
• Dokumentationszentrum NS-Zwangsarbeit
Forced Labor under the Nazis, Documentation Center
• Gedenkstätte Deutscher Widerstand (Bendler-Block)
German Resistance Memorial (Bendler-Block)
• Gedenkstätte Hohenschönhausen, Memorial Hohenschönhausen (Stasi prison)
• Gedenkstätte Köpenicker Blutwoche Juni 1933
Memorial for the Köpenick Blood Week June 1933
• Gedenkstätte Plötzensee am Gefängnis Plötzense
Memorial Plötzensee at the Plötzensee prison
• Gleis 17 - Gedenkstätte für den Abtransport von Juden, Platform 17 – Memorial for the Deported Jews
• Topographie des Terrors
Topography of Terror
• Erinnerungsstätte Notaufnahmelager Marienfelde
Memorial Marienfeld Refugee Transition Camp
• Gedenkort SA-Gefängnis Papestraße
Memorial Site SA Prison Papestraße
• Gedenkstätte Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz
Memorial House of the Wannsee Conference
3.3 History
• "Tränenpalast" - Haus der Geschichte
“Palace of Tears“ – House of History
• Alliierten-Museum
Allied Museum
• Anne Frank Zentrum
• Centrum Judaicum (Neue Synagoge)
• DDR Museum
GDR Museum
• Deutsches Historisches Museum
German Historical Museum
• Deutsch-Russisches Museum Berlin-Karlshorst
German-Russian Museum Berlin-Karlshorst
• Dokumentationszentrum Berliner Mauer
Documentation Center Berlin Wall
• Ethnologisches Museum
Ethnological Museum
• Haus am Checkpoint Charlie
• Jüdisches Museum Berlin
Jewish Museum Berlin
• Museum Europäischer Kulturen
Museum of European Cultures
• Museum für Asiatische Kunst
Museum for Asian Art
• Museum in der Kulturbrauerei – Haus der Geschichte
Museum in the Kulturbrauerei, House of History
• Rotkreuz-Museum des DRK-LV
Regional Red Cross Museum
• Schwerbelastungskörper
“Heavy Load Object“
• Stasi-Museum
• Stasi-Unterlagen / Dauerausstellung
Stasi Archives / permanent exhibition
3.4 Special…
• Berliner Medizinhistorisches Museum (Charité)
Berlin Museum of Medical History at the Charité
• Computerspiele Museum Berlin
Computer Games Museum Berlin
• DDR-Wohnung
GDR Flat
• Deutsches Currywurst-Museum
German Currywurst Museum
• Gaslaternen-Freilichtmuseum Berlin
Gas Lanterns Open Air Museum Berlin
• Hanf Museum Berlin
Hemp Museum Berlin
• Ramones Museum Berlin
• Schwules Museum
Gay Museum
3.5 Editor’s Pick
• Berliner Unterwelten-Museum
Berlin Underworld Museum
• C/O Berlin
• Centrum Judaicum (Neue Synagoge)
• Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas
4 Adlershof
http://goo.gl/maps/KlltX
Anna-Seghers-Gedenkstätte
Memorial for the writer Anna Seghers
Anna-Seghers-Straße 81, 12489 Berlin-Adlershof
Tel.: 030/ 677 47 25
Opening hours: Tu. + Th. 10.00-16.00. With guided visit only.
http://www.anna-seghers.de
Entrance fee: 4.00 EUR/ red. 2.00 EUR