You are going to Berlin and are not sure what to visit? You don’t need to look further than Museum Island! That is why its name speaks for itself – it is an island situated in the middle of Berlin and hosts several famous museums. This is a UNESCO World Heritage whose cultural value cannot be compared with that of other places. Allow us to explore the background and the stunning galleries considered the main attractions of Museumsinsel information.
1. Historical Importance
Museum Island commonly referred to as Museumsinsel in German is located in the Spree River, in the Mitte District of Berlin. This small island has great significance as it is home to five exceptional museums:
Pergamon Museum: Famous for monumental monuments such as the Pergamon Altar and the Ishtar Gate of Babylon – it was the museum that caused the ‘Museum Fever’.
Neues Museum: Housing Egyptian and Prehistory and Early History, Egypt, with such famous artifact as Nefertiti’s bust.
Bode Museum: Exhibiting sculpture, Byzantine paintings and a collection of coins from the Classical period and beyond.
Altes Museum: Specialized in antique art and archaeology especially from Greece and Rome.
Alte Nationalgalerie: Sharing visitors 19th-century paintings and sculptures where one can find masterpieces authored by Caspar David Friedrich, Auguste Rodin and others.
2. Exploring the Museums
Thus, every museum on Museum Island has its peculiarities of the exhibition for the visitors. Thus, one can dedicate the whole day viewing the exhibits they have, full of history, art and culture. Here are some highlights:
Pergamon Museum
There is nothing more fascinating than exploring the history of the World and Pergamon Museum will not let you down. Take a gander at the is great replicates of historic structures like the Ishtar Gate, the Market Gate of Miletus, together with the Pergamon Altar.
Neues Museum
Neues Museum is known throughout the world thanks to the reproduced bust of Nefertiti. Stand back and marvel at this beautiful artifact from Egypt and check out other artwork and statues of Egypt origin present in the museum.
Bode Museum
This museum is a storehouse of art and antiques which attract a large number of tourists and locals. Displaying art sculptures right from medieval times to simple and complex art, along with Byzantine and stamp collections, the museum takes one through the period timeline.
Altes Museum
Get a feel of ancient Greek and Rome by visiting Altes Museum. Bewonder the statues, vases and any other artefacts left by these ancient civilizations.
Alte Nationalgalerie
If you are interested in the art of the nineteenth century, it is guaranteed that you will be interested in the Alte Nationalgalerie. Entice clients with masterpieces of the Romantic era and the Biedermeier period as well as the paintings, sculptures, and graphic art.
3. Practical Information
Here are some useful tips to help you make the most of your visit to Museum Island:
Plan Your Visit
If you want to visit all of these museums it is highly recommended that you buy a Museum Island Pass to get in. It’s my flexible pass that let’s me wander and won’t burn a hole in my pocket.
Opening Hours and Admission
The opening times are also relative to each museum and therefore consult the official Web sites for more information. Some museums may even exist on limited scheduled hours within the week, so make sure you check this out. The admission fees are also not fixed but there are some that may give students, elders and families discounted prices.
Guided Tours
Adding in a guided tour can also make a difference for a person and will help him/her better understand the collections. On the museums’ websites, click through to see if further information on guided tours is available, and check their schedules.
Food and Refreshments
If you are hungry, all museums provide their café or restaurant where you can have snacks or simply take a cup of coffee.
Additional Attractions
The museums are easily accessible on the boulevard called Unter den Linden or, there is the Berlin Cathedral which tourists often visit after the museums.
Be sure that you spend quality time in Museum Island as all the museums are packed with interesting pieces and artifacts. It is such an exquisite one that will make you appreciate arts and some history behind them.
Therefore, I would like to recommend many tourists visiting Berlin should take moments to visit this Museum Island. It is a treasure trove of culture that takes the visitor through different epochs and educates them to the marvel that is culture.