Top museums in Germany
Germany; the heart of central Europe, is rich in history. With a plethora of historical artifacts and art, if you’re in the country, you won’t want to miss the chance to pay a visit to some of its greatest museums.
For some of the best cultural places to visit, please read on.
Museumsinsel (Museum Island) – Berlin
One island, five immersive museums: Pergamonmuseum, Bode-Museum, Neues Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie and Altes Museum.
Museumsinsel, home to the legendary bust of Nefertiti and the exquisite Pergamon Altar, was completed in 1930 and is known as the island of museums. The Museumsinsel is a unique museum ensemble of unsurpassed diversity and stature. It houses the unique and exclusive collections of art and cultural artifacts from Europe and the wider Mediterranean region. The island is located in the middle of the city, on the site of Berlin’s founding, eight centuries ago.
If you wish to visit, tickets are €18.
Top facts
- UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999
- Works from Ancient Egypt, Byzantium and Berlin
- Main artifacts: Bust of Nefertiti, Pergamon Altar and the Ishtar Gate
Mercedes Benz Museum – Stuttgart
The Mercedes Benz Museum will take you on an exhilarating celebratory journey back in time to the year 1886, when the Mercedes Benz was first invented by Carl Benz. It is the only museum in the world that can document in a single continuous timeline over 125 years of automobile history from its very beginnings to the present day. The 160 vehicles, old and new, are the main protagonists displayed to showcase history, technology and day-to-day life. The building is shaped in a similar manor to a DNA double helix, which many people view as a metaphor for the heritage of the brand seen throughout their inventions. If you are also interested in architecture, why not discover how the building is designed in relation to the company itself.
Attend the tour to specifically find out about the building’s unique design and history. Tickets are €10
Top facts
- A range of classic automobiles, racing cars and futuristic research vehicles
- Automobile tours are available, showcasing the ‘legend’ and ‘collection’ rooms in depth
- The building is built ‘barrier-free’ so that people with disabilities have no problems accessing all areas
Die Pinakotheken – Munich
Munich is home to a unique ensemble of museums which showcases an array of artwork from a variety of renowned artists, from Vincent Van Gogh to Damien Hirst.
Die Pinakotheken is made up of five museums each containing a variety of art highlighting different periods of time. The Wittelsbacher family had a collection of paintings which grew immensely leading to the growth of the museum and consequential additional museums, which are named: the Alte Pinakothek, Neue Pinakothek, Pinakothek der Moderne, Sammlung Schack and Museum Brandhorst. Of all buildings, Sammlung Schack is the only one to contain original pictures of fairy tales and legends from Germany which are a staple of the German Romantics.
Combi-tickets are €12 to visit all 5 museums, otherwise each one has their own entry fee, if you only wish to visit one or two museums.
Top facts
- Founded by King Ludwig I, Neue Pinakothek was the first public European museum dedicated to contemporary art
- The glass-roofed rotunda at Pinakothek der Moderne is a must see
- Highlights of Museum Brandhorst include works by Andy Warhol and Cy Twombly
The Sprengel Museum – Hannover
The Sprengel Museum ranks among the most important museums of modern art with its comprehensive permanent collection and diverse temporary exhibitions.
In 1969, Dr Bernhard Sprengel gifted the City of Hannover his extensive collection of 20th Century modern art and a generous sum of money to support the construction of an appropriate museum. This museum combines the Sprengel Collection of 20th century art with the city and provincial government collections in one unique location. In the museum you can find work from German Expressionism, French Cubism, Minimal Art, Conceptual Art, Post-Minimalism and a great deal more.
If you wish to visit, tickets are €7
Top facts
- Opened in 1979
- Find dedicated sections in the museum for artists such as Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, Emil Nolde and Paul Klee
- The museum is organised thematically, rather than chronologically or alphabetically as many other museums are.
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