Arts and Culture in Berlin

German culture has been around for more than 2,000 years. Julius Caesar built a bridge across the Rhine, and thus first entered the country into world consciousness. However, the city of Berlin is much younger, having been founded in the 12th century. It served as the seat of the German Reich in the late 1800s, and it was the previous royal capital as well. We know it for its 20th-century structure, the Berlin Wall, which stood for 30 years, but its colorful history extends far beyond that boundary dividing East and West Germany.

Bode MuseumBode Museum (Photo by Jessica Spengler)

A World Heritage site

For a comprehensive view of history, there is no better destination than the Museum Island (Am Lustgarten 1 10117 Berlin, +49 30 2090 5577, website). This sprawling center for history features five excellent museum buildings, all of which celebrate history and culture. The oldest museum in the compound, the Altes Museum, was opened in 1830 and displays its permanent collection of Greek art.  The Neues Museum (1841) was nearly destroyed by the air raids of World War II, but it was fortunately renovated in 1985. It continues to house some of the major collections in the island. The Alte Nationalgalerie (1876) features the works of renowned artists such as Claude Monet and Max Liebermann. The Bode-Museum (1904) was originally called the Kaiser Friedrich Museum, and it houses a collection featuring Byzantine artwork. The youngest building in the Island is the Pergamonmuseum, built in 1930. Its displays include classical antiquities, as well as Egyptian and Islamic artifacts.  It is the Island’s most visited venue, with over a million visitors every year. It is little wonder, then, that this impressive venue was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 2000.

Altes MuseumAltes Museum (Photo by Robert English)

German history

The long history of the country is something to behold, featuring both imperial glory and wartime difficulties. The German Historical Museum (Unter den Linden 2, 10117 Berlin, +49 30 20304 444, website) is the perfect place to begin a journey through it. Several excellent exhibitions are available, and tourists are given the chance to walk through more than 800 artifacts in its permanent collection. The Museum presents different eras of German history, from the Middle Ages to the German Empire to the Nazi regime to the reunification of Germany. This comprehensive view gives you a fascinating perspective of the country’s heritage.

Art with a German touch

Berlin is also a center of modern and classical art. The Neue Nationalgalerie (Potsdamer Straße 50, 10785 Berlin-Tiergarten, +49 30 266 42 3040) is a glass-enclosed building filled with 20th century modern and contemporary artwork. The permanent collection includes works by Pablo Picasso and Max Ernst. Expressionist and surrealist works are also featured here, and its collection should prove to be a delight to any art aficionado.

Neue NationalgalerieNeue Nationalgalerie (Photo by Alex Robertson)

Protestantism in Germany

Martin Luther began the Reformation with his posting of his Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the Castle Church in 1517. The Berlin Cathedral Church (Am Lustgarten 10178 Berlin, +49 30 20269 136, website) can be seen as a tribute to that movement, and it is sometimes called “the Protestant answer to St. Peter’s Basilica.” Completed in 1905, it is a vibrant Protestant church, and religious services are still held regularly. However, given its historical significance, tours of the church are readily available. Its magnificent dome is a prominent sight on Berlin’s skyline, and no visitor can truly experience German culture without visiting this cathedral.

Neue NationalgalerieBerlin Cathedral Church (Photo by Birger Kühnel)

Culture in Germany

A unified view of German culture can be found at the Goethe-Institut Berlin (Neue Schoenhauser Str. 20, 10178 Berlin, +49 30 25 90 63, website). This educational center has provided education about German culture and language not only in Germany, but in many other countries as well.

After learning German at the Goethe Institute, the Berliner Festspiele (Schaperstraße 24 10719 Berlin, +49 30 254 89 0, website) is the next destination for a complete round-up of German culture. This organization is in charge of many of the cultural events in Berlin, including film festivals, the international literature festival, Maerzmusik, Theatertreffen, and musikfest berlin. It has dominated Berlin’s cultural scene for over 50 years.

Tourist options

The Berlin Welcome Card (+49 30 25 00 25, website) offers discounts of up to 50% on many tourist attractions and guided tours. Several packages are offered: Berlin, Berlin and Potsdam, and Berlin Card Museumsinsel. This flexibility allows you to choose depending on your budget and destination. The Card also includes city and public transport maps. You can order this handy discount card here.

With its wide range of sites to choose from, Berlin is never a bore for the culturally-seasoned traveler. The city’s beauty in the midst of a sprawling modern country gives it an air of class that is uniquely German. From the Empire to the Reunification, Berlin has always made strides in history and culture. When you visit the city, you will come away with a new appreciation of everything German.

The Berlin Welcome Card

  • Can be ordered at website
  • Berlin package—48 hours, 16.90€; 72 hours, 22.90€; 5 days 29.90€
  • Berlin and Potsdam package—48 hours , 18.90€; 72 hours, 25.90€; 5 days, 34.90€
  • Berlin WelcomeCard MuseumsInsel package—72 hours, 31.50€, includes free admission to museums on Museum Island

Museum Island

  • Address: Am Lustgarten 1 10117 Berlin
  • Tel: +49 30 2090 5577
  • Cost of area ticket: 14€; discounted admission 7€

Altes Museum

  • Address: Am Lustgarten 10178 Berlin
  • Tel: +49 30 2090 5577
  • Opening hours: Friday to Wednesday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Cost: 8€; discounted admission 4€

Neues Museum

  • Tel: +49 30 266 42 42 42
  • Opening hours: Sunday to Wednesday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Cost: 10€; with tour 14€

Alte Nationalgalerie

  • Address: Bodestraße 1-3 10178 Berlin
  • Tel: + 49 30  2090 5577
  • Opening hours: Friday to Wednesday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Closed Mondays
  • Cost: 8€; discounted admission 4€

Bode-Museum

  • Address: Am Kupfergraben 1 10178 Berlin
  • Tel: +49 30  2090 5577
  • Opening hours: Friday to Wednesday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Cost: 8€; discounted admission 4€

Pergamonmuseum

  • Address: Am Kupfergraben 5 10117 Berlin
  • Tel: +49 30  2090 5577
  • Opening hours: Friday to Wednesday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Cost: 10€; discounted admission 5€

German Historical Museum

  • Address: Unter den Linden 2, 10117 Berlin
  • Tel: +49 30 20304 444
  • Opening hours: Daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; December 31st 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; January 1st 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Closed December 24th and 25th

Neue Nationalgalerie

  • Address: Potsdamer Straße 50, 10785 Berlin-Tiergarten
  • Tel: +49 30 266 42 3040
  • Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Closed Mondays
  • Cost: 10€; discounted admission 5€

Berlin Cathedral Church

  • Address: Am Lustgarten  10178 Berlin
  • Tel: +49 30 20269 136
  • Opening hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays and holidays 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Cost: Admission with audio guide–8€; Admission only–5€; Free for children below 14 years old

Goethe-Institut Berlin

  • Address: Neue Schoenhauser Str. 20, 10178 Berlin
  • Tel: +49 30 25 90 63

Berliner Festspiele

  • Address: Schaperstraße 24 10719 Berlin
  • Tel: +49 30 254 89 0

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