Berlin Sights - Museums

Museums in Berlin

Museum Island- Some of Berlin's best msueums are lusstered on an island in the Spree River, Museuminsle. Renovation is taking place to connect these museums via a series of underground passages, possibly creating one of the largest museum complexes in the world.

Alte Nationalgalerie- The National Gallery is a vast collection of paintings and sculptures by European artists.

Bodemuseum- A collection of Egyptian and Byzantine art and artificats.

Pergamon- The Pergamon Museum is one of the worlds best. The focus is a collection of ancient Greek, Roman and Middle Eastern antiquities. A highlight is the Pergamon Altar dating from 180 B.C. in ancient Greece.

German Historical Museum- This museum features a collection that follows German history from 900 A.D. to the present time. It recently went through a renovation including a new wing designed by the famous architect I.M. Pei, known for the glass pyramid at the Louvre in Paris.

Haus am Checkpoint Charlie (Berlin wall Museum) - Checkpoint Charlie is the location where foreign visitors passing from East to West Berlin would cross. All that remains today is a replica guard booth and an original sign warning visitors that they are about to change sectors. You will also see a billboard with a photo of an American soldier on one side and a Russian soldier on the other, this to symbolize the sectors. At the location of the former crossing point is an excellent museum featuring exhibits and photos of the Wall's history. The primary focus of the museum is escape attempts. Plan a couple hours for your visit!

Jewish Museum- This strikingly shaped museum was designed by the famous architect Daniel Liebeskind. The museum follows the history of Jews in Germany from Medieval times to modern times.

Schuwle Museum- This city which was once the seat of the Third Reich is now very liberal and has one of only a couple museums in the world dedicated to gays and lesbians.

Story of Berlin- This multimedia museum tells the history of Berlin over the past 800 years. Special sections are dedicated to the Third Reich and the Cold War. A highlight includes a visit to an underground bunker that was built to house about 3,600 people in the event of a catastrophe from weapons of mass destruction.

Technical Museum- A must for buffs old trains.