Our selection for 2012/2013 of Berlin’s best museums and art galleries. Those marked * below are closed Mondays, except on public holidays.

Please note: the information below is regularly updated but opening times can change, often at very short notice.

Old National Gallery (Alte Nationalgalerie)
Outstanding collection of 19th C. art – in particular the German Romantics, but also French Impressionists. Bodestrasse 1-3, Museum Island, Tues-Sun 10am-6pm, Thurs till 10pm. Entry € 8, reduced € 5. See this imposing building on our » Discover Berlin walk (tour 1).

New National Gallery (Neue Nationalgalerie)
This Mies van der Rohe-designed gallery houses changing exhibits of 20th C. art, often showing Berlin Expressionists. Matthäikirchplatz 4/6, Tues-Sun 10am-6pm, Thurs till 10pm. Entry € 8, reduced € 4.

Picture Gallery (Gemäldegalerie)
One of the world's finest collections of 13th-18th C. European art; includes works by Bruegel, Caravaggio, Dürer, and Rembrandt.Matthaikirchplatz 4/6, Tues-Sun 10am-6pm, Thurs 'til 10pm. Entry € 8, discount € 4.

Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum for the Present (Museum für Gegenwart)
Contemporary art gems on show in a former railway station, supplemented with revolving exhibitions from the Flick collection in the buildings next door. Invalidenstrasse 50-51, Tues-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 11am-6pm. Entry € 12, reduced € 6.

Charlottenburg Palace - New Wing (Neuer Flügel)
Rococo interiors and the largest collection of 18th C. French art outside of France – largely acquired by Frederick the Great. Spandauer Damm 20-24, Wed-Mon 10am-6pm (5pm, Nov.-Mar.). Note: closed Tuesdays! Entry € 6, reduced € 5.

Join the » Discover Berlin walk  and admire all three of the museum buildings below::

Pergamon Museum (Pergamonmuseum)
A stunning collection: see the Pergamon Altar, a masterpiece of Hellenistic art, as well as the awe-inspiring Ishtar Gate. Am Kupfergraben, Museum Island, daily (incl. Mondays) 10am-6pm, Thurs till 9pm. Entry: ticket valid for all museums on Museum Island (Bereichskarte): € 14, reduced € 7.

New Museum (Neues Museum)
Home of the Egyptian collection with its star exhibit, the 3,350 year old Bust of Nefertiti. A recently renovated museum with striking 19th and 21st C. architecture. Also houses the Museum of Prehistory. Bodestr. 1-3, Museum Island, Sun-Wed 10am-6pm, Thurs-Sat 10am-8pm. Entry € 10, reduced € 5. Avoid a line by buying a time-slot ticket online: www.neues-museum.de

Old Museum (Altes Museum)
This masterpiece of neo-classicism contains the high quality antiquities collection, such as the ancient Greek bronze “Praying Boy”. Am Lustgarten, Museum Island, daily (incl. Mondays) 10am-6pm, Thurs till 10pm. Entry € 8, reduced € 4.

Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie (Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie)
Amazing escape stories, BUT poor English translations and crowded. Go early or late in the day! We finish our » Discover Berlin walk (tour 1) close to this museum. Friedrichstrasse 43-45, daily (incl. Mondays) 9am-10pm. Entry € 12,50, student discount € 9,50.

* Berlin Wall Documentation Center (Dokumentationszentrum Berliner Mauer)
Opposite the official Wall Memorial, the Center has an excellent photo collection on the building of the Wall. The poignant Chapel of Reconciliation in the former Death Strip is nearby. Explore this area with us on our »  Cold War walk (tour 6). Bernauer Strasse 111, Tues-Sun 9:30am-7pm (6pm Nov.-Mar.). Free admission.

Jewish Museum (Jüdisches Museum Berlin)
This Daniel Libeskind-designed museum is an extraordinary work of sculpture in its own right; the exhibit presents the rich contribution of German Jewry to German society over centuries A short walk from the end of our » Discover Berlin walk (tour 1). Lindenstrasse 9-14, daily 10am-8pm (Mon till 10pm). Take into account the time required for the security check! Entry € 5, reduced € 2.50.

German Historical Museum (Deutsches Historiches Museum)
Excellent historical exhibition in the former armoury building charting the highs and lows of 2000 years of German history. Special exhibitions in the breathtaking extension designed by Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei. See the armoury on our »  Discover Berlin walk (tour 1). Unter den Linden 2, daily (incl. Mondays) 10am-6pm. Entry € 6.

* Information Centre, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas)
The Information Centre charts the history of the Holocaust, with moving exhibits showing, for example, how family groups from all over Europe were destroyed by Nazi persecution and genocide. Cora-Berliner-Strasse 1, Tues-Sun 10am-8pm (7pm Oct.-Mar.), free admission. Note: the Memorial itself is open 24/7; walk through it with us on our » Discover Berlin walk (tour 1).

Topography of Terror (Topographie des Terrors)
Site of the SS and Gestapo (secret police) headquarters, now a permanent memorial to the victims of the Nazis. Permanent photographic exhibition supplemented with temporary exhibitions. We walk you through this site on our »  Third Reich tour (tour 2). Niederkirchnerstrasse 8, daily (incl. Mondays) 10am-8pm. Free admission.