Museum Island

Aerial View of Museum Island
Aerial View of Museum Island cc licensed photo by uberdadofthree

If you love Museums, Museum Island is an absolute must see. There is no place like this anywhere else in the world. Visit five world class museums on one island for one admission fee.

The entire site is a bit of a museum itself, being ranked as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999. In addition to exploring the diverse exhibits you will also be taken aback by the incredible architecture.

The island which sits in the river Spree was formerly a residential area, but was dedicated to "art and science" in 1841 by Prussian King Frederick William IV.

There are a total of five museums on the island and while we will outline them briefly here, we will not go into too much detail as we have a page dedicated to each one.

The five museums are:

  1. The Pergamon Museum, home to the Greek alter after which it's named, features incredible exhibits from the ancient east.
  2. The Bode Museum was refurbished in 2005. It features sculptures from medieval times to the late 1700s and paintings from Late Byzantine to 1800.
  3. The Neues Museum, a beautiful addition to the island, was built in the mid 1800s. It suffered severe bomb damage during WW2 and lay in ruin until a 10 year reconstruction process that ended in 2009. It showcases archaeological items and sculptures from Egypt and Etruscan and more.
  4. The Alte National Gallery opened in 1876 is as its name suggests a musuem of art, more specifically paintings and sculptures from the early 19th century along with Impressionist and early modernist art.
  5. The Altes Museum first opened in 1830, is the oldest of the 5 museums and showcases art and sculpture from classical antiquity.

In spite of its name, the island is not just limited to museums. It is also home to the impressive Berlin Cathedral and Lustgarten Park.

Visitors can easily spend a full day or even several days exploring all 5 museums. If you only have time to see one or two we would recommend the Pergamon Museum and the Altes Museum in that order.

Facts For Your Visit

Fee:Yes - Fees vary by Museum

Address: Museum Island, 10 Berlin, Germany

Official Website: Museum Island

Reviews

Rated 4.7 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating Incredible museums, another must if you’re visiting Germany! The history and amount of statues, relics, and paintings they have is some of the largest in the world. Roman and Greek statues, were by far the best part. Berlin Dome was equally incredible. Beware you can by an all-in-one ticket for all museums which can save you a lot of money! Cafes in the museums were great too. Very walkable as well.
Jacob Wood - 5 months ago

Show More
Show Less

5 Star Rating It would be easy to spend a month here looking at everything! Spoiled for choice! Galleries, museums, Christmas markets and historic architecture. We would love to return to take it at a leisurely pace.
Anna Bradshaw - 2 months ago

Show More
Show Less

3 Star Rating 3 stars only because it's not for everybody, it's an impressive collection but everything and everyone was in complete silence making it uncomfortable to look and share impressions if you are not alone. There's nothing interactive at all in the museum and after seeing 70% of everything, we just left because at the time all sculptures/paintings/objects were about religion christianity. There are lots of young people making studies about pieces as well. So it's definitely a place to study and reflect. Don't expect any tiny drop of fun. Nonetheless visit anyways, at least you can say, "i was there!"
DeadViolet999 - 4 months ago

Show More
Show Less

5 Star Rating Very beautiful architecture and lively atmosphere. Nice grassed area to sit and enjoy the view with lots of talented artists performing music and other shows. Tip: the first Sunday of every month is free to visit all museums but I would recommend booking online prior otherwise there will be a few hours waiting time or fully booked! I visited the Pergamon Musuem before it will be closed for renovations. Would definitely recommend. Very close to the island is some markets with some beautiful art and other goodies to buy or just admire.
Tanya - 6 months ago

Show More
Show Less

5 Star Rating Amazing architecture and the museums themselves are filled with history. They are refurbished enough though to look beautiful on the inside and to house other artwork and history related pieces. There is a pretty garden outside as well to enjoy the nice weather in the summer.
Haya Husain - 8 months ago

Show More
Show Less

Directions

How to get to Museum Island by U-Bahn, S-Bahn

Nearest U-Bahn, S-Bahn Line(s): S1, S2, S3, S5, S7, S9, S25, S26, S75, U6
Nearest U-Bahn, S-Bahn Station(s): Berlin Friedrichstraße

Exit at Friedrichstraße Station. Walk one block south on Fredrichstraße and go left (east) on Dorotheenstraße. Museum Island and the Pergamon are just 2 blocks ahead.

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

Accommodations near Museum Island:

Photo Gallery

Video

Please provide consent and/or disable ad blocker to view the video.


Berlin Hotel Deals

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

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!