Museum Island Tickets and Tours in Berlin

Museum Island is a must-see stop in the German capital. As the name suggests, it is an island in the river Spree that is home to Berlin's main state museums: the Old Museum, the New Museum, the Old National Gallery, the Bode Museum and, above all, the Pergamon Museum. However, it is important to note that the Pergamon Museum is closed for renovations for several years.

To organise your visit to the rest of Berlin's museums, there are a few things to consider, from opening hours to closing days. Read on, we have compiled the essential information.

The best option

Berlin Neues Museum Tickets

Tickets to the Neues Museum Berlin with access to the temporary exhibitions

A unique experience at the Neues Museum Berlin for lovers of archaeology and ancient history.

From £12 at Hellotickets

Embark on a fascinating journey into the heart of **Berlin'**s Neues Museum, where history comes alive before your eyes. Discover the riches of ancient Egypt, from the majesty of Queen Tiy to the enigma of Nefertiti, in a collection spanning millennia of history.

Explore at your own pace the archaeological wonders that reveal the secrets of humanity. From the Stone Age to the Middle Ages, each object tells a unique story that will transport you back in time.

Immerse yourself in temporary exhibitions that will take you from the shores of the Black Sea to the medieval tombs of Europe, where the glitter of ancient jewels will leave you in awe.

Recommended if... you want to delve into the fascinating world of archaeology and ancient history while exploring one of the world's most impressive collections at the Neues Museum Berlin.

Each museum has its own entrance fee and below you will find the prices:

• Tickets to the Altes Museum (Old Museum): from 10 €.
• Tickets to the Neues Museum (New Museum): from €14
• Admission tothe Alte Nationalgalerie (OldNational Gallery ): from €10
• Tickets to the Bode-Museum (Bode Museum ): from €10

As you can see, these are not very high prices and children under 18 get in free.

Fortunately, all museums follow the same opening hours: they open at 10:00 and close at 18:00. The island's cultural institutions are run by the same body - the Berlin State Museums - and so it's enough to keep these simple opening hours in mind. If you visit Berlin in December you should know that on Christmas Eve all museums are closed while they are open on Christmas Day. On 31 December, however, the Neues Museum is open from 10:00 to 14:00.

The Museum Island (Museumsinsel) is located between the river Spree and the canal of the same name. As it is centrally located, you can easily reach it from anywhere in the German capital. Below you will find all the available options:

• Underground (U-Bahn in German). You will recognise each access by the sign with a white "U" on a blue background. The nearest stops are Unter den Linden (lines U5 and U6) and Rotes Rathaus (line U5).
• Suburban train (S-Bahn in German). Stations in the vicinity of the island are Friedrichstraße and Hackescher Markt. For more information, please visit the official website of the German Railways.
• Trams. Lines M1 and 12 stop at Am Kupfergraben. Alternatively, stop at Georgenstr./Am Kupfergraben (line 12).

Most tours focus on the Pergamon Museum, which is currently closed for renovation, or on the combined pass between it and another museum. Please note that it is practically impossible to visit all the museums in one day. Depending on your interests, for example, if you are passionate about numismatics, a guided tour of the Bode Museum is almost a must. If you are not interested in a particular type of art and want to stroll around the interior at your leisure - perhaps to escape the Berlin winter cold - I recommend visiting the Neues Museum without booking a tour.

It depends on your interests and the time you will spend in Berlin. The Museum Island is home to five cultural institutions - Pergamon Museum, Bode, Neues Museum, Old National Gallery and Altes Museum - and if you feel like visiting them in detail you should stay in the capital for at least five days. If you don't have that much time, I recommend at least one day. Check collections and temporary exhibitions to design the perfect itinerary.

If you still haven't made up your mind, the list below shows you the must-sees that I'm sure will convince you to visit the Museum Island:

• Numismatic collection of the Bode Museum. It contains more than 300,000 coins from Greece and Rome, the European Middle Ages and the Eastern and Islamic world.
• Gold tiara from Berlin, a jewel of prehistoric art. This is a ceremonial astronomical hat that served as a calendar. It is housed in the Neues Museum.
• Etruscan art from the Old Museum (Altes Museum). They were the "forerunners" of the Romans and their creations are often overlooked. However, the Etruscans had considerable artistic skills and their works are mainly linked to the afterlife.
• Bust of Nefertiti. The face of the famous empress is in the New Museum.
• Pergamon Altar and Ishtar Gate, the jewels of the Pergamon Museum. This cultural institution is dedicated to the classical and Islamic world.
• Equestrian statue of Frederick William IV. The bronze figure stands in the courtyard of the Old National Gallery (Alte Nationalgalerie).

According to visitor reviews, the Pergamon Museum tends to appeal to children. It is world-renowned for its large-scale reconstructions of architectural monuments from Greek and Roman antiquity. The flagship of the collection is the Pergamon Altar, a masterpiece of Hellenistic art depicting a battle between gods and giants. The museum organises workshops and activities for children.

However, as this museum will be closed for several years, you can opt for one of the following attractions:

• Labyrinth. It organises child-friendly exhibitions where touching is not forbidden but encouraged. Family discounts are available every Thursday and Friday (Osloer Straße 12).
• Museumsdorf Düppel, an open-air museum offering a reconstruction of a medieval village. Be careful, you won't be able to visit it in winter as it opens from Easter to early October (Clauertstraße 11).
• Deutsches Technikmuseum, 25,000 square metres full of vehicles, carriages, the saloon car of the last German emperor, steam locomotives, a ship simulator and much more. You will recognise it by the 1948 "Raisin Bomber" aeroplane perched on top of the building (Trebbiner Straße 9).
• MACHmit!, the museum for children. Its philosophy is to learn through experimentation and touch. There is plenty of space to play and climb (Senefelderstraße 5).

The German capital has a wealth of attractions and the above list is limited to museums only. If you want to go deeper into the subject, I recommend reading the article on 10 things to see and do in Berlin with children.

Yes, and if visiting museums is your passion, I advise you to buy the "Museum Pass Berlin". The price of this card is around 30 €, although there may be discounts on special occasions. With this card you can enter all the museums on the island and other destinations in the German capital. This pass guarantees access to 30 museums and below are some of the highlights:

• Deutsches Spionagemuseum, the museum of German espionage. The permanent collection can be experienced with all senses and will make you discover secret operations, real espionage cases and mythical spies (Leipziger Platz 9).
• Schloss Köpenick, a baroque castle on an island in the river Dahme, a tributary of the Spree
• Berggruen, an art gallery with works by Picasso, Georges Braque, Matisse and Paul Klee (Schloßstraße 1)
• Märkisches, Berlin's history museum (Am Köllnischen Park)
• Knoblauchhaus, a manor house that once belonged to a wealthy merchant family (Poststraße 23).

You can also save money by purchasing the Berlin Pass which gives you free entry to many of the city's attractions. You can buy it for 2 days at €99 or 3 days at €119.

Ready to get started? To clear up any last doubts, we've put together some tips to help you organise your visit:

• If you don't know where to start your visit, I recommend buying a Museum Island pass. It is a single ticket that guarantees direct access, without queuing up. For more information, I recommend you consult the official website.
• The museums have very extensive collections and time is always limited. Knowing what type of work each museum has will help you decide where to go. For example, if you like ancient Greece and Rome, then visit the Altes Museum. If you are fascinated by ancient Egypt, then head for the Neues Museum.
• If you see that there are few people in front of the Pergamon Museum, start your route here! The queues are often the longest
• During the school holidays there are often long queues. To find out which days it is, you can check out this website
• The Kolonnadenhof (Colonnade Courtyard) is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site on Museum Island. It is a 12,900 square-metre garden framed by an elegant colonnade.
• The high season in Berlin lasts from May to the end of October. August and October tend to be the busiest months. Museums tend to attract the most visitors during these months.
• January is the best month to avoid the crowds. In addition, you can benefit from cheaper hotel rates.
• Although it's not on the island, on the other side of the Spree you'll find another Berlin must-see: the GDR Museum. It's interactive and its collection contains a wealth of artefacts, from food to equipment used by the political police. If you've ever wondered what everyday life was like in the GDR, this is the museum for you.