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Berlin Culture & history

Our most recommended Berlin Culture & history

Berlin: Reichstag, Plenary Chamber, Cupola & Government Tour

1. Berlin: Reichstag, Plenary Chamber, Cupola & Government Tour

Join a guided walk through the government district. Visit the plenary chamber and dome of the Reichstag building and gain insight into the history of the district on this 60-minute walk along the River Spree. See the old government buildings as well as the modern government and parliament buildings built after 1995. See Jakob-Kaiser-Haus, Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus, and the Federal Chancellery. Pass through the security check to get into the Reichstag building. Listen to an interesting talk in the plenary chamber, and learn about German parliamentary history as well as interesting details about the Reichstag building itself. Hear about the history and architecture of the building as well as the reconstruction by British architect Sir Norman Foster that transformed it into one of the most modern and innovative parliament buildings in the world. Step onto the roof terrace and witness the glass dome of the Reichstag building. From here, enjoy the breathtaking views of Berlin. Stay up on top of the Reichstag for as long as you like, as long as it is not after closing time at midnight.

Berlin: Madame Tussauds Admission Ticket

2. Berlin: Madame Tussauds Admission Ticket

Immerse yourself in the most iconic moments of the last 100 years of Berlin's history with your entry ticket to Madame Tussauds Berlin. Get closer than ever to celebrities and famous characters. Get on stage and sing with Taylor Swift, become a model in the fashion zone, or date Leonardo DiCaprio at the most exclusive VIP party in town. Carry on and celebrate the World Cup with Angela Merkel at the legendary Fan Mile. Cheer with sports legends at the football stadium, pass the IQ test with Albert Einstein, or become a real Jedi Knight in the immersive Star Wars area. In the divided city, John F. Kennedy shouts "Ick bin ein Berliner," and Udo Lindenberg takes the "Sonderzug nach Pankow" until David Hasselhoff brings down the Berlin Wall. Visit the "Golden 20s" and experience the joy and extravagance of this famous decade. Dance the Charleston with Josephine Baker, enjoy a drink with Marlene Dietrich, and swing with Liza Minelli. Madame Tussauds Berlin offers the perfect spots for your family photo or Instagram selfie, including the latest wax figures of comedy star Teddy Teclebrahn or singer-songwriter Zoe Wees.

Berlin: Entry Ticket to the Studio of Wonders

3. Berlin: Entry Ticket to the Studio of Wonders

Embark on an adventure and enjoy one of the most exciting art-concepts of recent years that has opened in the center of Berlin. Discover the studio with over 30 interactive installations built for taking amazing pictures and videos. Have a marvelous time while creating your own wonders and will become part of the exhibits.  Explore more than 700 m2 that the studio offers and enjoy plenty of room to re-explore your inner child and dwell in stunning moments.  Nothing is as it might seem at first sight: its creators use optical illusions, infinity effects, and different perspectives to address all your senses. Plants are brought to life in the Wonder-Forest while lighting effects and a combination of scents and soft sounds draw the visitor deeper into the exhibit until they are completely immersed and everyday life is a distant memory.

Berlin: Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Tour

4. Berlin: Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Tour

Take a tour of the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp on this half-day tour from Berlin. Learn about the history of the facility that was once used for political prisoners but also served as the administrative center of the Nazi concentration camp system. You’ll take a short train ride to the outskirts of Berlin to this desolate reminder of one of the worst eras in human history. Walk through the camp as your guide describes the daily life of prisoners and explains the tactics of control used by the Nazis. Hear stories of tragedy and triumph, and learn about everyday life in the camp and some of the tactics used by the Nazis. Although this is a very sobering and somber tour you will also have a chance to remember the strong personalities of victims and survivors, whose actions still provide inspiration today.

Berlin: Berlin Story Museum Entry Ticket

5. Berlin: Berlin Story Museum Entry Ticket

Immerse yourself in Berlin's eventful history and follow the audio guide's vivid explanations about the past from Imperial times to the fall of the Berlin Wall in a real bunker from the Second World War. Step back in time to the period of National Socialism and discover a piece of contemporary history. Learn everything about Hitler's rise to power and his reign of terror. Visit the award-winning Berlin Story Museum in the huge Berlin Story Bunker near Anhalter Bahnhof and Potsdamer Platz. Learn more about Berlin's eventful history at 50 stations with large installations, informative photos, and short films.

Skip-the-Line: Berlin Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie

6. Skip-the-Line: Berlin Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie

The museum was founded on October 19th, 1962, shortly after the construction of the Berlin Wall, as a protest against the Wall and to provide assistance to the people seeking help. The Berlin Wall Museum was formed with the purpose of fighting against human rights violations as a result of the wall. Gradually the museum increased its exhibition space and contributed to the fall of the Wall. The museum had a vital role in history and the objects on display in the museum provide evidence of this. They are original artifacts from successful escapes such as a hot-air balloon, a mini-submarine, cars and airplanes. People helping East Germans to flee used the museum as a base from which they planned the escapes and organized resistance to the unjust GDR regime. After escaping, the refugees and their helpers donated their various means of conveyance and other objects to the museum. 

Berlin: Illuseum Berlin Entrance Ticket

7. Berlin: Illuseum Berlin Entrance Ticket

Take a break from the real world and step into the Illuseum Berlin. Located in the center of Berlin, the Illuseum is a place where nothing is as it seems and where fun, entertainment, and interactivity for visitors of all ages is the focus. Whether it's slate space or infinite space, baffling holograms, or an impressive tunnel, anyone can immerse themselves for a moment in a world full of illusions, allowing themselves to fall under the spell of their senses. Experience a one-of-a-kind museum where you will defy gravity, lose the ground under your feet, see yourself grow and shrink, and become inspired by optical illusions. As a special treat, check out clever play-areas made of sustainable wooden toys with many impressive 3D puzzles and riddles that are not only fun but also train your logical skills. It's easy to waste a day at this tricky fitness center for the brain.

Berlin: Panoramapunkt Skip-the-Line at the Elevator Ticket

8. Berlin: Panoramapunkt Skip-the-Line at the Elevator Ticket

Start your journey into the troubled past of Potsdamer Platz, one of the most important and popular places in the world, with a ride on the fastest lift in Europe. After having your voucher checked on the cash desk, skip the line to the elevator. In just 20 seconds you can take the elevator up to a height of 100 meters. From here you can enjoy breathtaking views of Berlin – no other vantage point provides a view of almost all structural and historical highlights of the German capital. The Brandenburg Gate, the Victory Column, and Bellevue Palace seem close enough to touch. The multimedia open-air exhibition “Berliner Blicke auf den Potsdamer Platz” (Berlin views of Potsdamer Platz) lets you immerse yourself in the various transformations of this historical location: from a quiet green to the pulsing heart of a major city, from the height of luxury to the field of ruble, from no man’s land to the new center of Berlin. The glass-walled Panoramacafé takes you back to the 1920's and 1930's. Take a moment to think about the past as you enjoy a cup of coffee and a delicious slice of cake. Depending on the time of day, the light breaks through the golden spires of the tower – the so-called “Crown of Berlin.” One floor above, on the 25th floor, you can admire the sunset over the West Berlin skyline from the stunning sun deck and enjoy the most beautiful sky over Berlin.

Berlin: Tickets for the BODY WORLDS Museum in Berlin

9. Berlin: Tickets for the BODY WORLDS Museum in Berlin

Visit the BODY WORLDS Museum by Dr. Gunther von Hagens. No other exhibition will change your perspective of human beings in such a way and bring your own body into the center of attention. See real human preparations such as whole-body plastinates, which will convey single organ functions as well as common diseases in an easily understandable manner. Walk through the different areas and get a detailed insight into the complex but fragile structures of the insides of the body. See the human skeleton, the interplay of the muscular system, learn more about the digestive system, the development of an embryo in the womb as well as the cardiovascular system. The respiratory organs and the nervous system are also part of the exhibition as well. Beyond the exhibits, you will learn more about the aspects that determine existence. For example, find out what determines a person's happiness and how the body copes with stress. Learn something about the middle ground between excessiveness and modesty and what the body needs in order to live a long and healthy life.

Berlin: Discover Berlin Walking Tour

10. Berlin: Discover Berlin Walking Tour

See historic Berlin on a walking tour through the city's most significant places. Take an informative, thought-provoking journey that brings the history of Berlin alive. Cover all of Berlin's main sights, from the Berlin Wall to the site of Hitler's bunker. Visit the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin Cathedral, Palace Square, and much more. Choose to take either a shorter or longer tour with a private guide to fit your schedule. Your guide’s superb story-telling skills will weave the themes of Prussian, Imperial, Nazi, Cold War and 21st-Century Berlin into a detailed narrative, stretching from Berlin’s swampy origins in medieval times. Hear tales about controversies over the design of the memorial, to the tragic story of the murdered Jews of Europe. Along the way, meet characters who have left their imprint on the city, including Albert Einstein, Marlene Dietrich, and JFK. Stand above the spot where Hitler took his life in April 1945, and see where daring escapes took place across the Berlin Wall before its momentous fall in 1989.

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Frequently asked questions about Berlin

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The best day trips and excursions from Berlin are:

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What people are saying about Berlin

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 32,889 reviews

Sachsenhausen tour is very educational and emotional as everybody can surely imagine. But it is actually the tour guide who transformers you from the present to the past and makes this place of terror really authentic. Our guide Chris - Canadian young gentleman - has delivered an exceptional experience ( One of the few top quality guided tours we attended in Berlin). Firstly, we learnt significantly more than we expected and it was clear that we could continue for endless hours to learn more and more. Secondly, Chris's passion for history and passing it onto next generation is simply admirable and also contagious! Lastly, Chris's humour also greatly contributed to a fabulous memorable tour. Definitely recommend for everybody visiting Berlin! I would actually say it is a 'Must do' that helps you to see a human being and life from different perspective! Thank you so much!

Our guide Paul was fantastic. He gave us a great tour and was very informative giving us a really good overview of Berlin and some of its history. Paul made the tour for us all and was an all round top man.

This place is huge - could have stayed for hours. Massively informative, there was so much I hadn’t heard of before. I’d go back if I was in Berlin again.

A perfect way to get years of history told and shown in a couple of hours

Fantastic tour with guide Mickhail , very knowledgable and helpful .