Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden and Museum
Discover the enchanted world of plants at Berlin’s Botanic Garden!
In 1889, Adolf Engler, the original head of the modern Botanic Garden in Berlin, set out to establish “the world in a garden”. Today, you can appreciate his wonderful success – a splendid diversification of plants, from herbaceous and medicinal plants to roses, marine and marsh plants, an arboretum including American trees, an Italian garden, an extraordinary art nouveau Tropical Greenhouse. The Botanic Garden in Berlin is a world leading garden, home to a collection of 20,000 plant species flowering on site drawing close to half a million guests annually.
Berlin’s Botanic Garden – from Arboretum to Tropical Greenhouse, the Botanic Garden offers 43 hectares for guests to roam and explore. Created between 1897 and 1910 by architect Alfred Koerner, the garden has three areas: the Arboretum (woody plants and rose collection), plant formations from similar geographic areas, and an area devoted to systematic botany comprising around 1500 varieties of plants.
The landmark Tropical Greenhouse offers an outstanding example of late nineteenth-century art nouveau style in glass and steel. Twenty-five metres high and set on the eastern boundary of the garden, it towers over another 14 display greenhouses placed around it.
The Botanic Garden is not merely popular in summer. In winter too, you can walk the Seasonal Trails to view the plants of Africa, Australia, East Asia, the tropics and the Mediterranean basin. It's important to note that they permit no dogs other than registered disability assistance dogs.
The Victoriahaus
One treasure in the Botanical Garden is the over 100-year-old Viktoriahaus greenhouse. I refer to the romantic greenhouse after the giant water lily Victoria, and the glass pavilion is home to tropical marsh and water plants.
Botanical Museum
Berlin’s Botanic Garden is also home to a museum devoted only to botany – the sole museum of its kind in central Europe. The Botanical Museum has housed the former royal collection of plants since 1906. This collection has been steadily enlarged and has an impressive assortment of models revealing plant structures imperceptible to the human eye – and an entire forest in a shoe box! You can even find out which plants were presented as funerary goods in the tombs of the Egyptian Pharaohs.
Events in the Botanic Garden – Concerts, Perennials Market and Tropical Nights
When the weather turns freezing in January, the Botanic Garden opens its gates to celebrate its Tropical Nights. On Friday and Saturday evenings, guests can escape winter to experience music and drinks under the palm trees in the Tropical Greenhouse. The Botanic Garden presents many recitals and markets during the year – with summer concerts, the Botanical Nights, the Berlin Perennials Market and the Orchid Show heading the popularity rankings for visitors.
Tours available many days of the year provide the opportunity to gain a deeper awareness of the gardens and their splendid diversity of plants. Highlight or themed tours, by knowledgeable guides, are available in German and English for both the garden and the museum. They are popular so it’s advisable to book well in advance (more details at https://www.bgbm.org/en/guided-tours).
Botanic Garden – Accessibility
The Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum provide wheelchair accessible toilets and lifts. The 3000 square metre Fragrance and Touch Garden is designed for visually impaired visitors. It features scents of eucalyptus, rosemary and chives. Visitors are encouraged to touch the plants!
If you haven’t seen enough plants already, adjacent to the Botanical Garden on Altensteinstraße is the Königliche Gartenakademie, a gardening school with a pleasant café in the greenhouse. The centre of the district, Dahlem-Dorf, is a pleasant place for a walk. On Königin-Luise-Straße the bustle of the city seems distant. In the Luise beer garden, students from the FU Berlin sit under shade trees discussing recent lectures.
It’s busier when the Domäne Dahlem hosts mediaeval festivals or during the annual Christmas market. The manor house is now an agricultural open-air museum with a farm shop. Nearby is the Dahlem museum complex.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: YesBerlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Address: Königin-Luise-Straße 6-8, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Phone: 030 83850100
Official Website: Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden
Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden Reviews
Rated out of 5
My Visit to the Botanical Garden in Berlin
I recently had the pleasure of exploring the beautiful Botanical Garden in Berlin, and it was an unforgettable experience. The garden is home to a remarkable collection of plants and flowers from different parts of the world, making it a perfect destination for nature lovers.
As I walked through the garden, I was amazed by the variety of colorful flowers, towering trees, and exotic plants. The well-maintained pathways and peaceful atmosphere made the visit both relaxing and enjoyable. One of the highlights of my visit was exploring the greenhouses, where I saw tropical and desert plants that I had never seen before.
The garden provided a wonderful opportunity to learn about different plant species and their importance to the environment. Informative displays throughout the garden helped me understand the diversity of plant life and the need for conservation.
The fresh air, scenic landscapes, and calm surroundings allowed me to disconnect from daily stress and appreciate the beauty of nature. I also enjoyed taking photographs and spending quiet moments admiring the stunning views.
Overall, my visit to the Botanical Garden in Berlin was both educational and refreshing. It was a memorable experience that deepened my appreciation for nature, and I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Berlin.
Garima - 3 months ago
A magical place filled with beautiful flowers and plants. The person selling us the tickets was extremely helpful and friendly. This kind of service is so important, it simply makes your day even more wonderful.
We especially loved the Asia section ♥️
You can sit and relax near the cafés, and there are clean toilets located throughout the garden.
There is also very convenient bicycle parking at the main entrance.
Michalina Glura - 4 months ago
The standout feature of this garden is the glasshouse which is enormous. It is really several structures linked together and they are confusing to navigate but filled with a huge variety of plants from different climate zones.
The gardens are arranged as distinct botanical zones of the world and are laid out in naturalistic settings. For example the alpine zone is a huge rock garden with paths cut through.
The arboretum has mature trees, all labelled, set in grassland, covering a big area complete with ponds and lakes.
In terms of facilities, the cafe consists of a mobile van serving indifferent coffee with a few cakes on offer. I am not sure if there is a regular cafe that was closed on the day of our visit. There is a nice outside seating area to have your drinks or a picnic.
The map of the site was €1.50 extra which seemed a bit mean so we took a photo of the map on the signboard.
The bus stop is right outside the entrance.
Not the best botanical garden I've visited but it is nicely laid out and a peaceful haven from the city outside.
herm dig - 3 months ago
I have zero words to describe how much I love the garden. I’ve been there twice now and want to go a third time. From little forests, to seeing raccoons and especially the garden houses, this place is magical. Each garden house has its own experience and environment, allowing you take a little trip across the globe. If you haven’t bought your tickets do it immediately! Student tickets are really affordable for 5€ and 7€ if you want to make a little donation to the gardens. I also recommend going in both April-May, when many flowers bloom, And June when the Rose Pavillon is packed with a variety of roses.
Ánika M. - 3 months ago
It exceeded my expectations.
It’s one of the botanical gardens with the greatest variety of plants.
Their greenhouses are incredible—they even have a waterfall inside.
Unfortunately, the museum is under renovation, so we couldn’t visit it.
We will definitely come back when the museum reopens.
kotoz cosmin - 5 months ago
Directions
How to get to Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden by S-Bahn
Nearest S-Bahn Line(s): S1, U9, U3
Nearest S-Bahn Station(s): S Botanischer Garten, S+U Rathaus Steglitz, U Dahlem Dorf
From S Botanischer Garten Station on S1, exit and walk to your right along EnzianstraBe. Go right again at Unter den Eichen and continue to the entrance. Total walking time is about 10 minutes.
From S+U Rathaus Steglitz Station on U9, take Bus X 83 - Königin-Luise-Str. or M 48 - Zehlendorf.
From U Dahlem Dorf Station on U3, take Bus X 83 - Lichtenrade.
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Photo Credit: Udo Schröter - cc license via Flickr
