The Most Exciting Museums & Tours about Berlin’s History

photo: Finding Berlin

Among the many benefits Berlin hast to offer, the endless torrents of culture and centuries of history coming through its endless museums are breathtaking. From the largest ones to the most unknown, the history enthusiasts find it hard to visit each and every one of them; there are, also, many who most probably do not feel like spending their time in museums upon visiting Berlin. We have picked the ones we can guarantee that they are worth your time no matter which category you belong to. We will be happy to know your favorite ones 😉

Military History Museum

Have you ever heard about Berlin-Gatow? I personally hadn’t until a few months ago, when I visited a friend there last summer. For those of you, who are avid fans of military history and the immense material it has led to, whether it is great films, theatre pieces, music or literature, you will be blown away by the Military History Museum located there. Surrounded by endless greenery it used to be a Luftwaffe and Royal Air Force airfield named RAF Gatow. The term Luftwaffe refers to the German aerial warfare branch during World War II. The museum itself boasts an impressive collection of thousands of books and uniforms along with over 100 airplanes. While reaching Gatow might take you a bit longer than the usual U-bahn ride from Neukölln to Mitte, the museum is definitely worth your time. Do not forget to combine your visit to the museum with a relaxing walk along the nearby lake!

Militärmuseum Gatow, Am Flugplatz Gatow 33, Berlin-Kladow

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Berliner Unterwelten e.V.

This is actually not the typical history museum you would encounter in a city; in fact, it is not even a museum, but something more special instead. The Berliner Unterwelten Association (Berlin Underworlds) is a large group of history enthusiasts of various professions, such as lawyers, town planners, architects, economists etc., with a common denominator: their love for Berlin’s subterranean architecture, which is why they have being pouring their time and energy into its maintenance for the past twenty years. Among the many projects they are in charge of, they organize guided tours for the public focusing on a number of topics including World War II fortresses and Cold War bunkers. Should you feel like trying something different from the ordinary museum concept, this is definitely for you.

Berliner Unterwelten e.V., Brunnenstraße 105, Berlin-Gesundbrunnen

photo: Berliner Unterwelten e.V.

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Flughafengebäude Tempelhof

I am sure you have heard many times already about Tempelhof and the former airport that was situated there. If you have lived in Berlin during the summer, you might have even picnicked or skated there a few times. What you might not know, however, is that the main airport building is still there and hosts a number of guided tours, most of them in English as well. During World War II multiple weapons were made there, whereas Tempelhof serves as a symbol for freedom at the same time. The site itself has been hailed as one of Europe’s most spectacular buildings.

Tempelhof Flughafen, Werner-Voß-Damm 52A, Berlin-Tempelhof

photo: Tempelhof Projekt GmbH

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Stasi Museum

If you are interested in the GDR than we definitely recommend a visit to the Stasi Museum in Lichtenberg. Here, time stood still and every detail of the interior has not been changed since the wall came down. The museum is located inside the former Ministry of State Security of the GDR and a lot of rooms such as offices and the cafeteria have been preserved in their original state to allow the visitor to get a really authentic taste of the former East. For more impressions have a look at the detailed review over on Finding Berlin.

Stasimuseum, Ruschestraße 103, Haus 1 10365 Berlin-Lichtenberg

photo: Finding Berlin

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Jewish Museum

Built by architect Daniel Liebeskind, the Jewish Museum in Berlin is something every single person who comes here should visit; and this is, because the museum is so artfully designed and constructed, that it makes you feel it is alive and ready to tell its guests the stories of its past. Forget long halls with useless exhibits and uninteresting pieces of information you will have forgotten after a few seconds. No matter if you are a history enthusiast or not, visiting the Jewish museum is an experience, you do not want to miss out on.

Jüdisches Museum, Lindenstraße 9-14, Berlin-Kreuzberg

photo: Jens Ziehe

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