Museum Island

Museum Island which includes night scenes and a city
To journey through the art and culture of nearly 6,000 years of civilisation, just visit this world-heritage listed island.

Museum Island (Museumsinsel) is located in central Berlin in the River Spree. The island, as the name would suggest, boasts a collection of excellent museums. In particular, there are five world-class museums located at the northern end of the island, which were built between 1824 and 1930. It is not merely the content of the museums that is of interest—the architectural value of the buildings is also vast, and they also reflect an evolution in the design of contemporary museum development.

A logical way to approach the five museums is to start with the oldest and work your way through to the newest. Start at the Altes Museum, a neoclassical sandstone structure, which was originally constructed in order to house the vast art collection of the Prussian royal family. Designed to imitate classical Greek architecture, the eighteen columns at the front of the building will instantly bring the Pantheon in Athens to mind.

The next museum on the list is the Neues Museum, whose content is focused on the artefacts, furniture and sculptures of Ancient Egypt. There are numerous exciting exhibits within the Neues Museum, but the bust of the Egyptian queen Nefertiti from the 14th century BC (over 3000 years old) is a particular highlight.

The Alte Nationalgalerie in an absolute treasure trove of paintings and sculpture. Not only that, but several schools and eras of art are covered in the museum, with the French impressionist work of Claude Monet particularly prominent.

The fourth museum on the island, the Bode Museum, is possibly the most spectacular building of the three—a neoclassical masterpiece. Once you get inside the museum, you’ll find a collection of ancient Byzantine art, Renaissance sculpture and a multitude of works by the classic canon of European artists.

The final museum on the island is the Pergamon Museum, which was completed in 1930. This is often considered to be Germany’s most famous museum, and houses some vast and invaluable pieces of ancient architecture and Islamic Art from the Middle East.

Museum Island is an unmissable experience, and easily accessible by tram, bus, and U-Bahn and S-Bahn trains.

Reviews of Museum Island

4.4
Top destination
5 - Excellent
121
" "5 - Excellent 49.1869918699187%
4 - Good
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" "4 - Good 43.08943089430894%
3 - Okay
19
" "3 - Okay 7.723577235772358%
2 - Disappointing
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4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
23 Nov 2019

Didnt go into any of the museums but the building they are in are beautiful

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
18 Nov 2019

Pergamon 360 degree is a must

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
12 Aug 2019

Don't miss the Bode Museum - quiet, but stuffed with beautiful treasures.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
14 May 2019

Viewed from a river cruise, will plan to visit museums on another trip.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
17 Apr 2019

Pergaman Museum is magnificent. Visit both sites.

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Top Museum Island Hotel Deals

TITANIC Comfort Berlin Mitte
TITANIC Comfort Berlin Mitte
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TITANIC Comfort Berlin Mitte
Park Inn by Radisson Berlin Alexanderplatz
Park Inn by Radisson Berlin Alexanderplatz
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Maritim proArte Hotel Berlin
Maritim proArte Hotel Berlin
Friedrichstrasse 151, Berlin, BE
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TITANIC Gendarmenmarkt Berlin
TITANIC Gendarmenmarkt Berlin
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TITANIC Gendarmenmarkt Berlin
Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Hackescher Markt
Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Hackescher Markt
4 out of 5
An der Spandauer Bruecke 11, Berlin, BE
Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Hackescher Markt
Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin CheckPoint Charlie
Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin CheckPoint Charlie
4 out of 5
Krausenstrasse 35-36, Berlin, BE
Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin CheckPoint Charlie
H4 Hotel Berlin Alexanderplatz
H4 Hotel Berlin Alexanderplatz
Karl Liebknecht Strasse 32, Berlin, BE
H4 Hotel Berlin Alexanderplatz
NH Collection Berlin Mitte Friedrichstrasse
NH Collection Berlin Mitte Friedrichstrasse
4.5 out of 5
Friedrichstraße 96, Berlin, BE
NH Collection Berlin Mitte Friedrichstrasse
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.