The 5 best art museums in Berlin

Kolbe was the most successful German sculptor of the first half of the twentieth century. Three years after his death in 1947, his studio became the first museum that opened in West Berlin. It is dedicated to the research and the preservation of Kolbe’s artistic legacy and hosts interesting exhibitions. The place and its surroundings, including Café K, are simply magnificent.

The ‘Berlin Gallery’ collects art from Berlin dating from 1870 to the present day, with both a local and international focus. It offers 4.600 m² of exhibition space with outstanding collections that include Dada Berlin, the Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity) and the Eastern European avant-garde. You can combine your visit with one to the Jewish Museum nearby.

The Museum of Photography, a former officers’ casino, is now home to the Kunstbibliothek’s Collection of Photography and the Helmut Newton Foundation. These two institutions have 2000 m² of exhibition space at their disposal. As far as Helmut Newton’s multifaceted and often provocative work goes, it is presented in a series of alternating exhibitions.

The huge Hamburger Bahnhof is the former railway station where trains left and arrived on their way to or from the Hanseatic city of Hamburg. It is now an awesome museum for contemporary art. Changing exhibits cover a wide range of post-1950 artistic movements. The permanent collection is world class; think Joseph Beuys, Andy Warhol or Cy Twombly.

This private museum opens itself to collectors, curators, and anyone with an adventurous spirit who wants to explore the world of art and its boundless possibilities. It’s home to changing exhibits and events and a fantastic Wunderkammer (cabinet of curiosities) on the first floor. Tip: rent an audio-guide.