Travel bucket list idea:
Berlin, Germany
|Over the centuries, Berlin has amassed an impressive hoard of treasures, starting with the collections of culture-mad Friedrich the Great, followed by a succession of emperors – their royal curators and architects equipped with lavish budgets – and rounded off by the spoils of a globe-spanning German Empire.
Most are now conveniently housed on one small ‘Museum Island’, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site boasting five adjacent world-class museums, covering 6,000 years of cultural and art history. An essential stop on any Berlin itinerary.
Berlin, Germany
Reopened in 2006 after a major refurbishment, the museum now houses a fine collection of Byzantine art, coins, medals, and most notably, one of Europe’s finest collections of sculpture.
Adult price: £8
Best for ages 18+
Berlin, Germany
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Museum Island’s Neues Museum houses prehistoric and early historic collections, notably an excellent Egyptian Collection – including the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti.
Adult price: £10
Best for ages 18+
Berlin, Germany
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This gallery showcases one of the world’s largest collections of 19th-century sculpture and paintings, with additional collections of neoclassical, Romantic, Impressionist and early Modernist artwork.
Adult price: £10
Best for ages 18+
Berlin, Germany
The first museum to be built on Museum Island set in a stunning neoclassical building, houses exhibits from the Collection of Classical Antiquities. The permanent Greek collection is displayed on the ground floor, with special exhibitions on the second.
Adult price: £8
Best for ages 18+
Berlin, Germany
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A tour de force of treasures amassed by German archaeologists. The superb site pulls together three previous museums covering Islamic art, classical antiquities and the ancient Near East.
Adult price: £12
Best for ages 18+
Take the S-Bahn S1, S2, or S25 to Friedrichstrasse, or S5, S7, S75, or S9 to Hackescher Markt. Or take the U-Bahn line U6 to Friedrichstrasse.
The Berlin Museum Pass permits entry to all the major Berlin museums for three days, for about EUR25. It comes with a guide containing helpful information and listings of participating museums.
The more comprehensive Berlin Welcome Card gives you up to 50% off entrance to most of the city’s top attractions, including its art galleries and museums, and includes free public transport and a free handy guide book. The price varies depending on the number of days you want – from 48 hours to 6 days.
All of the museums are open all year round, seven days a week.
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Germany
Europe’s hippest capital boasts non-stop nightlife, cutting-edge fashion, cosmopolitan eats and museum treasures galore. At the centre of the World and Cold Wars, it also oozes history, much of it sobering.
