Berlin/Museuminsel

Museumsinsel ("Museum Island") is a part of the central Berlin Mitte district, situated on the large island in the River Spree that is to be found at the heart of the city.

See

Landmarks

the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) => - the city's Protestant cathedral and the burial place of the Kaisers

Museums and Galleries

the Pergamonmuseum (Pergamon Museum) - houses several important collections and exhibitions:
*the Voderasiatische Museum (Museum of the Ancient Near East) => -
*part of the Antikensammlung (Collection of Classical Antiquities) => - the most spectacular part of which is the reconstructed temple of Pergamon. There is also the perhaps even greater Ish-Tar gate of Babylon, from centuries BC, which is reconstructed together with a strech of the procession way.
the Altes Museum. The Altes Museum will be housing the very best of the Alte Nationalgalerie's (Old National Gallery) 18th and 19th century painting collection on the second floor until the Alte Nationalgalerie's renovation is complete. Monet, Manet, Cézanne and other important 18th century artists are well-represented. But before all Berlin's artworks went on walkabout in the past few years of renovation, the major reason to go the the Altes Museum was its massive collection of antiquities. From the time architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel built the Museum, it has housed an impressive horde of ancient art, including the famous Hildesheim Silver collection (Hildesheimer Silberfund) and Scythian (Skytische) gold.

:The main floor houses the antiquities collection in an ongoing exhibit called "Neue Antike im Alten Museum" (New Antiquities in the Old Museum). Directly through the front door, entering from the Lustgarten (Pleasure Garden, now under reconstruction), there is a domed rotunda with red and white cameos, Greek-style, with statues of the gods. To reach the Hildesheim silver collection, go to the back of the rotunda, turn left, walk through the long gallery and turn left into a small room at the end. Bodemuseum in Berlin

the Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery) => - specialising in 19th century painting and sculpture, currently under renovation

the Bodemuseum =>

Do

During summertime you can enjoy an open-air cinema in front of the Altes Museum, showing alternative movies (most of them in original language). It's very wise to buy tickets for the "Sommerkino" in the afternoon if you don't want to join at long queue at night with the chance of not getting a ticket.