DDR-Museum

Entrance to the DDR Museum in Berlin
Entrance to the DDR Museum in Berlin cc licensed photo by murdelta

'Surprisingly Fun', 'Quirky', 'A Must See', and 'A Unique Perspective' are some expressions used to characterize the DDR Museum. This museum bills itself ‘one of the most interactive museums in the world’.

One element that makes the DDR museum unique is that it’s the only museum in Berlin that is privately rather than state funded.

What makes it even less typical of other museums is the overall theme. This is not only an art museum, or science museum, or a history museum. It is a museum of everyday life in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) while it was still part of the Soviet occupation.

Since opening in 2006, the DDR Museum became an overnight success and was nominated for a European Museum of the Year Award in both 2008 and 2012.

The DDR museum aims to deal with the question of what everyday life was like for the East German citizens who were cut off from the outside world by barbed wire, guard towers, and the Berlin Wall. Also, what was it like to live under constant surveillance?

Three themed areas: Public LIfe, State and Ideology, and Life in a Tower Block expands into 47 sub-topics inside the 1000 m2 permanent exhibition.

Popular exhibits include a simulated drive in an original Trabant P601 automobile, an authentic reconstruction of a five-room flat in a high-rise tower block, numerous interactive games suitable for young and old alike, the monumental fresco “In Praise of Communism”, a prison cell and a Socialist Unity Party conference table in the boardroom with a touchscreen.

The interactive, hands-on nature of the museum makes this a fun, memorable, and educational experience for all age groups.

Facts For Your Visit

Official Website: DDR-Museum

Fee: Yes

Regular Hours:
May differ on holidays

  • Monday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Thursday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Friday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Saturday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Sunday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Address: Vera Britain Ufer, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 1, 10178 Berlin, Germany

Phone: 030 847123730

Official Website: DDR-Museum

Reviews

Rated 4.3 out of 5DDR Museum Star Rating

4 Star Rating One of the best museums in Berlin to show the history of East German society under Soviet rule. It was incredibly busy when we visited and this did make it difficult to interact with any of the museum because there was a queue for everything. We would have appreciated a smaller capacity in the museum, even if that meant we had to wait a while to enter

Ben Horrex - 20 days ago

2 Star Rating We thought this museum was terrible. It is too interactive. Too many things to see and do. It was very overcrowded, so it was difficult to even "do" all the activities. The house part was the best part. I give two stars because there were some neat items and information.

Angela M - 21 days ago

5 Star Rating Very good and worth a look to see how the other half lived it does get busy and gets quite hot. Kids would find sitting in the Trabant fun, the kids we saw there were very curious about it. The mock up of typical DDR flat was very enlightening. It seems quirky but it’s well worth a look.

Terry Moriarty - 2 months ago

5 Star Rating Excellent museum, just opposite museum island. €13 entry, was good value as there is so much here to do. Lots of interactive and thought provoking displays. You could get in the Trabant and pretend to drive it. Brilliant mock up a typical DDR flat in Berlin, with a scary lift experience too! Lots of flaps to lift, plenty of information in English. Nice toilets too.

Megan Cook - 2 months ago

5 Star Rating Best museum I’ve been to! Liked it more than the famous Amsterdam stuff. Interactive and knowledgeable. Great for kids and teens, everyone on the family will have great time.

Maria Kromina - 9 days ago

Accommodations near DDR-Museum:

Directions

How to get to DDR-Museum by U-Bahn, S-Bahn or MetroTram

Nearest U-Bahn, S-Bahn or MetroTram Line(s): S3, S5, S7, S9, U2, U5, U8
Nearest U-Bahn, S-Bahn or MetroTram Station(s): S Hackescher Markt, U Alexanderplatz

Hackescher Markt on the S-Bahn is about a 7 minute walk to the museum. Alexanderplatz ,served by 3 U-Bahn lines, is about a 10 minute walk to the museum. Alternatively, take a tram to the Spandauer Straße/Marienkirche stop – the M4, M5 and M6 lines bring you almost to the entrance.

Map & Instant Route Finder

Click&Go Map and Route Finder with public transit, walking, driving or cycling directions. Get up-to-the-minute transit times for your route.

Finding Your Route - Please Wait

Photo Gallery

Video


Travel back to when East Germany existed in this must see video tour of the DDR museum in Berlin. Even if you cannot visit the museum in person, this video gives you a good look at many of the exhibits.
Booking.com sale banner link
Berlin Hotel Deals

Book Now, Pay Later
Price Matching
2,563,000+ Properties Worldwide
24/7 Support
booking.com logo


Visiting Berlin?
Here's why we use Booking.com for our hotel bookings.
Best Selection
Daily Deals
Price Matching
Pay at the Hotel
24/7 Support
Share on Pinterest
Share on Pinterest
Help us grow! Please Share
Thanks for Visiting!