Posted by The Museum Island (Museumsinsel) is an island between the Spree and the Spreekanal in Berlin Mitte (central Berlin). On the Museum Island there are currently 5 large museums next to each other. Together it is the largest museum complex in the world. The Museum Island is the most visited sight in Berlin.
>>> With the Museum Pass 3 days to over 30 museums in Berlin
The 5 big museums on the island in the Spree are the Pergamon Museum, the Old Museum, the New Museum, the Old National Museum and the Bode Museum (in the picture above). All are world-class museums of art and history. The most famous of the exhibitions is the Pergamon Museum.
Our tip: Welcomecard Berlin with Museum Island: Free public transport, free admission to the 5 museums of the Museum Island, many discounts: More Information
The 5 museums at a glance
The Pergamon Museum is the most visited museum in Berlin and one of the most important museums in Germany. It is especially known for some gigantic reconstructions. These include the Pergamon altar (Pergamon: historical city in today’s Turkey), the gate at the market of Miletus (also in Turkey) and the Ishtar gate with processional street of Babylon (today Iraq, gate see picture).
Ishtar Gate Babylon, Picture: By User:Hahaha – Own work, CC SA 1.0, Link
In the Altes Museum, things from antiquity are exhibited (antique collection). These include sculptures and other works of art from Greece as well as works of the Romans and Etruscans.
The 4 most popular tickets for Berlin for 20241. TV Tower ticket: At Corona times, you can only go up to the highest building in Germany only by reservation (online tickets). At other times very often long waiting times without reservation: Link to the Tickets 2. Boat tour on the river Spree passing great sights (1 hour): Link to the Tickets 3. Hitler-Bunker and Story-Museum: One of the most popular attractions in Berlin. Made a strong impression on us: Link to the Tickets 4. Ticket Illuseum Berlin: Great, modern museum about optical illusions, currently a hit in Berlin: Link to the Tickets |
As the name suggests, the Neues Museum also shows exhibits from antiquity. These include things from the Stone Age and the Bronze Age. Especially well known are some objects from ancient Egypt, especially the world-famous head of the Egyptian queen Nefertiti (see picture).
By Philip Pikart – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
The Alte Nationalgalerie Berlin on the Museumsinsel Berlin shows art from the 19th century. Probably the largest collection from this period. Some pictures by Caspar David Friedrich are known.
>>> With the Museum Pass 3 days to over 30 museums in Berlin
The Bode Museum Berlin is a little off the beaten track at the northern tip of the Museum Island. There are sculptures from different eras, Byzantine works of art and much more. We especially liked the coin collection, from the first coins in the 7th century B.C. to the Euro.
We also want to mention the German History Museum. This museum is not located on the Museum Island, but right next to it. It is also a big museum. The theme is German history from about 500 A.D. to the fall of the Wall in 1989. Also a great exhibition.
In our opinion, all 6 museums mentioned above are worth seeing. All are the big, historical buildings that would be a sight even without the exhibits.
Entrance fees Museum Island
The individual museums each cost about 10 to 20 euros in admission. This is relatively high, especially if you want to visit several museums.
We recommend the Museumspass Berlin. You can visit almost all state museums in Berlin for 3 days (there are over 30). This includes all the museums on the Museum Island presented above. If you manage to visit the Museumsinsel on one day, which is difficult, you can visit other museums in Berlin free of charge on the other days. The museum pass Berlin costs only 29 euros for adults, the Pergamon Museum alone for example already 19 euros. Further free museums in the museum pass that are worthwhile in our opinion are, for example, the Museum für Naturkunde (Natural History), Hamburger Bahnhof (Modern Art), the Jewish Museum and the Anne Frank Center. The Museumspass Berlin and more information can be found on this website.
Our tip: Welcomecard Berlin with Museum Island: Free public transport, free admission to the 5 museums of the Museum Island, many discounts: More Information
Opening Hours Museum Island Berlin
The museums do not all have exactly the same opening hours. Most museums are open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday until 8 p.m.
On Monday 3 of the 5 big museums have a day off. The Pergamon Museum and the Neues Museum are also open on Monday.
>>> With the Museum Pass 3 days to over 30 museums in Berlin