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David Rickerson-Seidel
The sprawling museum complex houses five museums, including the Altes Museum (Old Museum), the Neues Museum (New Museum), the Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery), the Bode Museum and the Pergamon Museum.
Attracting over a million visitors annually, the hugely popular Pergamon Museum is best known for the Ishtar Gate, the reconstructed Pergamon Altar, the Wall of Babylon and the Market Gate of Miletus. It is best to arrive here early in order to avoid the queues.
Built in 1830 by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in the neo-Classical style, the Altes Museum houses an impressive collection of Classical antiquities (Antikensammlung), the Prussian royal family's art collection and some interesting Greek and Roman art and sculptures. It is also noteworthy for being the first public museum in Prussia.
The second museum to be built on the island, the Neues Museum, was rebuilt by English architect David Chipperfield after it was severely damaged during WW2. Honoured with the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) European Award in 2010 for its design, the museum is home to the original bust of the beautiful Queen Nefertiti. The Egyptian, prehistoric and early historic collections here are equally spellbinding.
The Alte Nationalgalerie holds one of the largest collections of 19th-century sculptures and paintings in Germany. Art enthusiasts are impressed by the profusion of early Modernist, Neo-Classical, Romantic, Biedermeier and Impressionist artwork. Artists represented here include Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, Caspar David Friedrich, Karl Friedrich Schinkel and Karl Blechen. It is worth noting that architect Friedrich August Stille was inspired by the Acropolis in Athens while conceiving the model for the Alte Nationalgalerie.
Last but certainly not least is the Bode Museum, designed by Ernst von Ihne and completed in 1904. Named after its curator Wilhelm von Bode, it possesses an abundance of Christian Orient art with a special focus on Coptic Egypt, sculptures from the Middle Ages, Byzantium and Ravenna, and the early Renaissance.
The easiest way to reach Museum Island Berlin is from the left side of the German Historical Museum, which is just opposite the Staatsoper on Unter den Linden. It is a short walk across the beautiful Schlossbrücke (Palace Bridge).
The best way to commence a tour of the expansive island complex is by viewing a project in the media room of the Pergamon entitled 'Museum Island Berlin – 2015'. It gives a useful overview of what to expect at each museum. Visitors are generally advised to dedicate an entire day to the five museums (even this may prove insufficient for the resolute art and history enthusiasts). Cafés inside the museum buildings and across the island mean that you are never far from refreshment.
Individual tickets for the museums are available, although it is much better value to purchase a combined ticket for €18 which grants access to all five museums. To avoid disappointment on the day, check online or via phone to ensure that no museums are closed for renovation. Ordinarily, the Pergamon and Neues museums are open seven days a week, whilst the others are open every day except Monday.
A boat ride around the island gives good perspective of how large the island actually is. Keep your camera at hand as the boat sails by some architecturally-stunning buildings, some of which still bear sobering bullet holes and shrapnel marks from the wars.
Well-manicured lawns are perfect to sit on and watch the world go by, or even for a quick nap between museums. By evening, the riverside comes to life with live music, bars and enticing deck chairs. For delectable dining in the area, there is the NH Berlin Mitte Restaurant which is ideal for both lunch and dinner.
Museum Island is an oasis of calm amidst the hustle and bustle of Berlin. Make sure it is on your itinerary - this enlightening island experience is like few others.
Planning your trip to Berlin? Check out our favorite downtown hotels in Berlin.
Guest Relations Manager at NH Collection Berlin Mitte Friedrichstrasse
My name is David Rickerson-Seidel and I have been part of the NH Hotel Group since September 2015 when the first NH Collection Hotel opened in Germany. After 16 years of hotel experience, I was offered a great chance to meet people from all over the world and each time I was able to learn from them – this is one of the reason why I love my position as a Guest Relation Manager. My daily task is to fulfil our guest’s needs before they actually asking for it. With my passion for my job it is always a great pleasure to see our guests happy and smiling before they leave the hotel and I know that we have done the job right. I always say that the only thing that a guest can’t buy and book in advance is our smiling receptionist with a warm welcoming, the friendly breakfast host who would like to know if you slept well, and our elusive room maid, who is preparing the room so that it feels like home – our employees make the difference – this is why you are not checking into your room at a terminal. Whatever you need – we are always there for you.
The NH Collection Berlin Mitte Friedrichstrasse hotel, formerly known as NH Berlin Friedrichstrasse, has a prime location on the world-famous Friedrichstrasse, close to Berlin’s best-known sights and shopping areas. From here it’s just a short walk to the Brandenburg Gate and the Unter den Linden, Berlin’s historic tree-lined boulevard.
The NH Collection Berlin Mitte am Checkpoint Charlie hotel, formerly known as NH Berlin Mitte Leipziger Strasse, is located on Leipziger Strasse, directly in the city center, so it’s a really handy base. We’re just a few from one of the main shopping streets, Friedrichstrasse, and the likes of Galeries Lafayette, Quartier 206, The Q or Mall of Berlin.
Located on the edge of the hip artists’ district of Kreuzberg, the NH Berlin Potsdamer Platz hotel puts you a short stroll from the famous Berlin square that gives it its name. 10 minutes more will take you to the city’s biggest tourist attractions, including the Brandenburg Gate, the Holocaust memorial and the Reichstag. Plus there are cafés, boutiques, restaurants and nightclubs right on the doorstep.
The NH Berlin City Ost, formerly known as NH Berlin Frankfurter Allee, hotel is set in the quiet residential area of Lichtenberg. It’s about 3km out of city center, yet great transport links mean you can quickly get to the center to start your sightseeing.
Germany's capital, Berlin, is a city steeped in history. The incredible variety of historical destinations exist alongside plentiful parks and a flourishing art scene.
Berlin and art go hand in hand, but this creative hub refuses to keep its art confined to galleries. Instead, you will find it all around the city, adorning building walls - a visible product of the city’s political upheaval.
Berlin, Germany’s most arty city, is used to quality cinema. Between the Berlin Film Festival and its abundance of open-air cinemas, it is a city that has the big screen on its mind.
One of the busiest squares in Europe until it was severely damaged during World War II, Potsdamer Platz houses the remains of the Berlin Wall that stand defiantly against a backdrop of contemporary architecture.
A labyrinth of curiosities best describes the cheery and intimate precinct of Hackesche Höfe in Berlin, the city's famous courtyard complex that lies adjacent to the Hackescher Markt.
Cavernous chambers and spectacular architecture make Berlin Cathedral a truly memorable monument. Due to its classical gravitas, visitors find it hard to believe that the current structure was only completed in 1905.
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