Discover Berlin: Museums, Wall Sites and Gardens

On Museum Island, the collections span a period from prehistory to 19th-century art. Together with Wall sites, gardens and botanical diversity, Berlin offers different ways to explore culture, history and nature. When planning your trip, you can consider whether you are primarily interested in art and exhibitions, memorial sites, or designed garden spaces and plants.

Museums and Wall Sites

Museum Island is home to unique collections of European and Mediterranean art and culture. Its five museums present holdings spanning a period from prehistory to the 19th century. Museum Island has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. You can visit the museums and their collections on your own or as part of a guided tour. The wide range of periods makes a visit appealing to anyone who wants to explore different eras.

The Berlin Wall Memorial stretches for 1.4 kilometres along Bernauer Straße, on the former border strip between East and West Berlin. The site includes the last surviving section of the Berlin Wall and the border area behind it. The memorial is the central memorial site for the division of Germany. The scale of the site and its preserved features make the history of the border tangible in a specific place.

At the East Side Gallery, you can stroll along a 1,316-metre section of the Wall. It is the longest continuous surviving section of the Berlin Wall. Public general-interest guided tours on various topics are held there regularly. They last about an hour and use audio guides. If you are planning a tour, check the current events calendar before your trip.

Mauerpark is the former Wall strip between Prenzlauer Berg and Wedding. Next to the park in Prenzlauer Berg is a flea market; most stalls are run by private vendors rather than professional sellers. Since 2009, karaoke has been held in Mauerpark’s amphitheatre on Sundays from 3 p.m. in good weather. Visitors can sing in front of an audience. As the event is weather-dependent and details may vary, it is a good idea to check the information before your visit.

Gardens, Plants and Animals

The Gardens of the World bring together themed gardens and garden pavilions from different cultures with contemporary garden design. For the 2017 International Garden Exhibition Berlin, they were expanded to 43 hectares together with Kienbergpark. On site, there are opportunities to relax, observe nature, play and enjoy cultural activities. Alongside the designed garden spaces, visitors can therefore enjoy a variety of leisure activities.

The Botanical Garden covers 43 hectares and is home to 20,000 plant species from every continent. One striking structure is the 25-metre-high Art Nouveau Tropical Greenhouse. It is surrounded by 14 other exhibition greenhouses. The figures for the area, plant diversity and buildings convey different aspects of the garden: from the global range of species to the architecture of a single greenhouse.

Britzer Garten has four themed gardens. Three flower shows are also held there each year. As the dates are seasonal, it is worth checking them before your trip. At Berlin Zoo, the focus is on wildlife: it is Germany’s oldest zoo and is home to many endangered species as well as rare domestic animal breeds. Gardens, plants and animals thus offer different subjects from those found in museums and historic Wall sites.

Plan Your Journey and Hotel Search

The Wall Trail is part of Berlin’s Green Main Routes. This network consists of walking paths, promenades and leafy streets, and is almost 550 kilometres long. The Berlin WelcomeCard includes a public transport ticket and a free app. It is available for the Berlin AB or Berlin ABC fare zones, with a validity period of your choice from 48 hours to six days. Check the current ticket conditions before your trip.

This gives you a clear idea of which experiences you want to shape your trip.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Grünau, Rahnsdorf, Bohnsdorf, Wilmersdorf, Berlin-Neukölln, Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, Hermsdorf, Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin-Reinickendorf, Schöneberg, Wedding, Buckow, Tiergarten, Velten, Mahlsdorf, Köpenick, Charlottenburg, Adlershof, Schmöckwitz, Wannsee, Kladow, Ruhlsdorf, Karow, Karlshorst, Friedrichshagen, Berlin, Altglienicke, Weißensee, Zehlendorf, Spandau, Marienfelde, Friedenau, Pankow, Rudow, Steglitz, Biesdorf, Hohenschönhausen, Tempelhof, Lichtenberg, Hellersdorf, Marzahn.

Go to the main travel overview: Germany.