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Bucket list experience:

© Staatliche Museen zu Berlin / David von Becker

Last updated: 30 May, 2023

Berlin is a world-class art destination, thanks to three primary, complimentary causes.

First, there was a hoard of masterpieces collected on the order of culture-mad Friedrich the Great, followed by a succession of emperors – their royal curators and architects equipped with lavish budgets. Second came the spoils collected from a globe-spanning German Empire, and third, a generous amount of public funding in recent years has established Berlin’s state-owned museums way up there on the world’s A-list of art collections.

No less impressive is Berlin’s thriving contemporary art scene – the most fertile in Germany – with more than 600 private and commercial art galleries, showcasing a wealth of well-known, emerging and undiscovered talent.

Art galleries of Mitte

Berlin, Germany

Join the culture crowd and explore over 600 private galleries clustered in Mitte’s artistic heart, with art from students to masters, struggling to world-famous.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

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white exterior building of the Berggruen Museum in berlin
Experience

Berggruen Museum

Berlin, Germany

This renowned art institution houses the impressive modern and contemporary art collection of Heinz Berggruen, a German-American art collector. It spans various artistic movements, including Cubism, Surrealism, and German Expressionism and includes works by prominent artists such as Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, Henri Matisse, and Alberto Giacometti.

Best for ages: 18+ | £10

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Bode Museum
Experience

Bode Museum

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.

Best for ages: 18+ | £8

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a former Bunker of the Secod World War which has been turned into a private home and art collection (Boros Foundation), Berlin-Mitte.
Experience

Boros Collection at Kunstbunker

Berlin, Germany

This authentic World War II bunker in Mitte has been converted into a sprawling 3,000sq m contemporary art gallery to house the superb private collection of advertising guru Christian Boros. Also on display are works by luminaries such as Olafur Eliasson and Anselm Reyle. Access by 1.5-hour guided tours only, available Thursday-Sunday. Book ahead.

Best for ages: 18+ | £16

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Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Unless they’re private collections, you generally don’t need to book online before you go and can just turn up. The big art museums all have audio guides, and some have guided tours (check in advance, as they may need booking).

The Berlin Museum Pass permits entry to all the major Berlin museums – including its art museums – for three days, for about €25. 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 guidebook. The price varies depending on the number of days you want – from 48 hours to 6 days.

When to do it

Galleries and art museums are open all year round; most open Tuesday to Sunday and close on Monday.

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Street Art Tour - Off The Grid

Street Art Tour - Off The Grid

Berlin

Artists tell you the secrets, the history, the techniques, the rules and the personal stories of graffiti and street art in a walk through a...

€20 | Rating 4.85 / 5 [115 ratings]

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The Real Berlin Walking Tour: Art, Food and Counterculture

The Real Berlin Walking Tour: Art, Food and Counterculture

Berlin

Learn about extraordinary people with extraordinary stories. Of art and architecture, cinema and squats. War and peace. East and West. A dee...

€450 | Rating 4.91 / 5 [36 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Rocco Forte Hotel de Rome

Berlin, Germany[0.7 miles]

Romantic, luxury hotel set within a grand 19th-century bank building, with a contemporary twist and terrific spa. In the heart of Mitte, and close to the city’s main attractions.

Official star rating:

Lux 11 Berlin-Mitte

Berlin, Germany[0.9 miles]

A superb apartment hotel, with 72 self-contained luxury apartments, conveniently located for Berlin best attractions, bars and shopping.

Official star rating:

Casa Camper

Berlin, Germany[0.9 miles]

A quirky chic boutique hotel that blends simple luxury and hip Spanish design in a killer Mitte location. In the heart of the city’s buzz.

Official star rating:

Hotel Amano

Berlin, Germany[1.2 miles]

The gorgeously understated Amano offers a soothing, affordable designer option in uber-trendy Mitte.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Berlin

Germany

Europe’s hippest capital boasts non-stop nightlife, cutting-edge fashion, cosmopolitan eats and museum treasures galore.

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Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Berlin’s Museum Island

Berlin, Germany[0.2 miles]

An extraordinary UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site home to five world-class museums, covering 6,000 years of cultural and art history. An essential stop on any Berlin itinerary.

Best for ages: 18+ | £20

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New Museum

Berlin, Germany[0.5 miles]

Museum Island’s Neues Museum houses prehistoric and early historic collections, notably an excellent Egyptian Collection – including the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti.

Best for ages: 18+ | £10

Pergamon Museum

Berlin, Germany[0.7 miles]

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.

Best for ages: 18+ | £12

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Berlin Dungeon
Experience

Berlin Dungeon

Berlin, Germany[0.4 miles]

This thrilling and immersive attraction takes you on a journey through the darker side of Berlin’s crime and punishment history, with live actors, special effects, and interactive storytelling bringing chilling tales of the past to life. Expect medieval torture chambers, plague-infested streets, and witch trials. Min age 5 years, but we’d advised 13+.

Best for ages: 10+ | £18

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Old Museum
Experience

Old Museum

Berlin, Germany[0.4 miles]

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.

Best for ages: 18+ | £8

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Observation Deck of the TV Tower
Experience

Observation Deck of the TV Tower

Berlin, Germany[0.5 miles]

Built in 1969 in the former East Berlin as a symbol of German Democratic Republic (GDR)’s technical prowess, this distinctive, 368m tall Fernsehturm telecommunications tower has become an iconic landmark soaring above the city skyline. The observation deck features floor-to-ceiling windows, offers a 360-degree view of Berlin’s skyline, plus informational panels and audio guides that provide interesting facts about the city’s history and landmarks.

Best for ages: 4+ | £14

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