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

Open Now

Regular Hours:
Hours may be subject to change. Please verify on the official website.

  • 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

Category: Museums

Address: Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 1
10178 Berlin
Germany

Phone: +49 30 847123730

Reviews

Yelp Rating:
4 out of 5 4 Star Rating
Based on 208 Reviews.

See all reviews on Yelp

5 Star Rating I'm not the biggest museum guy but this was really cool to see. At first I was a bit confused and thought GDR was west Germany, but this whole museum is... Read More

Richard B. May-25-2023

4 Star Rating This museum is a neat, immersive way to get an overview into Cold War history in Berlin. The exhibits are very interactive so you get to experience what... Read More

Kate C. Jul-31-2022

3 Star Rating To be honest I was not so impressed with the DDR museum. I guess as a historian I expected more. However, some information is better then no information at all. Read More

Kim S. Sep-22-2021

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.

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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.

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