Berlin is known for its diversity. In addition to modern architecture, the world-famous club scene and numerous parks and beer gardens, there is also a rich offer of historical sights, art and culture to experience in Berlin. It’s not for nothing that the city has its own museum island. In our list, we show you the coolest museums in Berlin that you must visit during your trip to the German capital.
Our Top 9 Museums in Berlin
Berlin has an eventful history. Starting with the founding period in the 13th century, through the Prussian imperial era, the period of National Socialism and the subsequent period of German division, right up to the modern age, the city has experienced a lot. This is also reflected in Berlin’s rich museum landscape.
But in Berlin’s museums you will not only learn things worth knowing about the history of the city and other cultures. The museums in Berlin are as diverse as the city itself and offer something for everyone. From the exhibition of rare exhibits to museums with unusual themes to exhibitions especially for children, everyone will find the right museum for them in Berlin.
Our Museum tip No. 1: The Natural History Museum
You want to see a real T-Rex? You can in Berlin! Well, at least a skeleton of the 65 million year old dinosaur can be seen in the Berlin Museum of Natural History. On more than 6,600 square meters of exhibition space, young and old can marvel at the wonders of nature.
Whether it’s the endless expanse of the cosmos, the development of evolution or how volcanoes work and the migration of the continents – you won’t get bored at the Berlin Museum of Natural History and you can learn a lot of new things. Our tip: Buy tickets online beforehand to avoid the queue at the ticket office.
Where?
Natural History Museum: Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin
When?
Tuesday to Friday: 09:30 – 18:00
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10:00 – 18:00
Admission:
8 euros, reduced 5 euros.
source: https://www.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/de/museum/ausstellungen/saurierwelt
Our Museum tip No. 2: German Museum of Technology
In addition to the wonders of nature, technology enthusiasts will also find the right museum in Berlin. In the exhibition halls of the Museum of Technology you will find everything from boats and airplanes to old cars and locomotives to the beginnings of photography as well as a jewelry and printing workshop.
The best thing about it: touching is allowed on most of the exhibits and most of the locomotives, boats or airplanes can even be entered. This means that a visit to the museum is not boring, even for children, and at the same time brings out the inner child in many of the older visitors.
Where?
German Museum of Technology: Trebbiner Straße 9, 10963 Berlin
When?
Tuesday to Friday: 09:00 – 17:30
Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00
Admission:
8 euros, reduced 4 euros.
source: https://www.facebook.com/deutschestechnikmuseum
Our Museum Tip No. 3: The Pergamon Museum
The building on Bodestraße is probably one of the most diverse museum buildings in Berlin. In addition to the Pergamon Museum, it also houses the Museum of Islamic Art, the Museum of the Ancient Near East and the Collection of Classical Antiquities. The highlight of this museum ensemble is the Pergamon Museum with its Pergamon Altar.
The exciting exhibits from Roman and Greek antiquity take you into ancient history and mythology, offering a tangible impression of these bygone eras.
Where?
The Pergamon Museum: Bodestraße 1-3, 10178 Berlin
When?
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday through Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00
Thursday: 10:00 to 20:00
admission:
12 euros, reduced 6 euros.
source: Lestat (Jan Mehlich) – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3099513
Our Museum tip No. 4: Museum of Communication
Nowadays, the smartphone has become our constant companion, allowing us to communicate with other people almost anywhere and at any time. But how did people communicate with each other in the past? You can find out at the Museum of Communication in Berlin. From prehistoric hand axes to ancient tablets and medieval scrolls to the first mailboxes and telephones, you can marvel at all the milestones of communication technology here.
Ever-changing exhibitions and educational programs are also designed to promote media literacy among young and old. On Sundays, there are special offers for families, where, for example, secret codes can be deciphered or secret messages can be written with invisible ink.
Where?
Museum of Communication: Leipziger Straße 16, 10117 Berlin
When?
Tuesday: 09:00 – 20:00
Wednesday to Friday: 09:00 – 17:00
Saturday, Sunday & public holidays: 10:00 – 18:00
Admission:
6 euros, reduced 3 euros.
Our Museum Tip No. 5: The Musical Instrument Museum
The foundation stone for today’s Musical Instrument Museum in Berlin was laid as early as 1888 with the “Collection of Old Musical Instruments”. Today, the museum claims to house more than 3,300 musical instruments from the 16th to the 21st century, of which around 800 exhibits can be admired by visitors.
During guided tours, you can not only marvel at the various instruments visually, but also experience the unique sound as well as the respective peculiarities of instrumental playing. Constantly changing exhibitions with different focuses ensure that even a repeated visit to the Musical Instrument Museum is always exciting.
Where?
The Musical Instrument Museum: Ben-Gurion-Straße, 10785 Berlin
When?
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 09:00 – 17:00
Thursday: 09:00 – 20:00
Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 – 17:00
Admission:
6 euros, reduced 3 euros, free admission under the age of 18.
source: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Our Museum Tip No. 6: German Historical Museum
A classic in Berlin’s museum landscape is the German Historical Museum in Mitte. Here, visitors learn about exciting things and contexts related to all-German history. As one of the largest history museums in the world, not only historical but also philosophical and ethical questions are explained here in the context of history.
The exhibitions vary and are always dedicated to the events and developments that shaped history as well as the important personalities associated with them. In doing so, the German Historical Museum pursues the approach of not only presenting history, but also relating its effects to our present day.
Where?
German Historical Museum: Unter den Linden 2, 10117 Berlin
When?
Friday to Wednesday: 10:00 – 18:00
Thursday: 10:00 to 20:00
Admission:
8 euros, reduced 4 euros, free admission under the age of 18.
source: https://www.dhm.de/
Our Museum Tip No. 7: German Spy Museum
Secret agents like James Bond exert an almost magical attraction on us. In the German Spy Museum you can dive deep into the world of agents, spies and secret services yourself. In addition to the numerous exhibits from the development of spies and secret services, there are also numerous things to try out yourself.
Children are not the only ones who will enjoy this kind of hands-on museum, where you can, for example, write your own Morse code message, crack a safe, write in cipher or run through a laser course. If you want to know exactly, you can also take a lie detector test with your companion.
Where?
German Spy Museum: Leipziger Platz 9, 10117 Berlin
When?
Open Daily 10:00 to 20:00
Admission:
Ticket prices vary depending on occupancy between 8 and 18 euros, reduced 6 to 12 euros.
source: https://www.deutsches-spionagemuseum.de/
Our Museum tip no. 8: The Futurium
In conventional museums in Berlin, you often learn about the past. But the Futurium deals with the future. What will our worlds look like in the future? How will we get around, communicate with each other or work? These and many other questions are addressed and dealt with in the Futurium.
The Futurium sees itself as a participatory museum, where the focus is less on exhibitions and exhibits and more on discussions in the forum, the development of new concepts in the laboratory, and the joint creation of ideas for the future.
Where?
Futurium: Alexanderufer 2, 10117 Berlin
When?
Friday to Monday and Wednesday: 10:00 – 18:00
Thursday: 10:00 to 20:00
Admission:
free.
source: David Becker, https://futurium.de/de/ausstellung
Our Museum Tip No. 9: Jewish Museum
Jewish life in Berlin and throughout Germany has a long and very eventful history. This is presented in an impressive building designed by star architect Daniel Liebeskind. In addition to the numerous exhibits from late antiquity to the present, the Jewish Museum Berlin also offers a very varied program of events and a large garden with a café.
The workshops and tours offered especially for children are not only educational, but also fun and encourage creativity. Directly across the street is ANOHA, the Jewish Museum’s children’s world, where especially the little ones get their money’s worth and can learn while playing.
Where?
Jewish Museum: Lindenstraße 9 – 14, 10969 Berlin
When?
Open Daily 10:00 to 19:00
Admission:
8 euros, reduced 3 euros.
Berlin – The City of Museums
Visitors to the German capital will find a rich selection of the most diverse museums in Berlin. In addition to our tips listed here, there are numerous other exhibitions and collections that more than deserve the designation “Cool Museum Berlin”. These include, for example:
- Berlin Magic Museum
- Anti-War-Museum
- Berlin Story Museum
- Berlin Museum of Medical History
- Berlin Subway Museum
- Museum of Letters
- Computer Games Museum
- Das klingende Museum
- DDR Museum
- Water Sports Museum
- Hemp Museum Berlin
- Illuseum Berlin
- Museum of Extraordinary Things
- Samurai Museum
- Trabi Museum Berlin
- Museum for Urban Contemporary Art
- East Side Gallery
- Katzenmuseum Berlin
- Topography of Terror
And the best thing about all these museums is: From your accommodation at the EastSeven Hostel in Berlin in the middle of Prenzlauer Berg, almost all museums are easily accessible by public transport.
