10 Best Museums In Germany That’ll Give You A True Glimpse Of The Country’s Historic Past

A culturally rich country like Germany is a history, art & museum-lover’s dream destination. With over 6,000 unique, interesting and amazing museums in Germany you need to pick the best ones for your visit. With its outstanding Museum Island, Berlin is said to have more museums than it has rainy days, and Munich isn’t far behind. From art works of the great Renaissance masters & classic modern painters to rare artefacts, world war memorabilia, science and even automobiles, there’s a museum for everything in this country. Here’s our list of museums in Germany which you must not miss out on your next trip.

10 Best Museums In Germany

While there are a lot of places to see in Germany, here’s a list of the 10 best museums that’ll give your a true glimpse of the country’s historic past. Take a look!

1. Pergamon Museum

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Located on The Museum Island this world-renowned museum will leave you awestruck with its fascinating collection of artefacts. One of the best museums in Germany for ancient history is home to the grand Ishtar Gate and the spectacular Altar of Zeus. With a rare collection of fantastic art pieces, stunning displays, and the amazing architectural detailing you can almost feel you’re walking through history.

Location: Bodestrasse 1-3, 10178 Berlin, Germany


Timings: 10AM-6PM (Fri-Wed); 10AM-8PM (Thurs)


Entry Fee: 12 Euros/adult. Concessional tickets available.

2. Topography Of Terror

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Arguably one of the most important World War II museums in Germany, Topography of Terror allows you a glimpse into the making of Nazi Germany. Spread between indoor and outdoor exhibits, this important museum is educative and sobering at the same time with its exceptional media and imagery. Standing at the former site of SS headquarters, the collection of photographs and documents transport you those times of terror. This exceptional museum in Germany is the most well-documented and detailed exhibit on the rise of Hitler and Nazi movement.

Location: Niederkirchnerstraße 8, 10963 Berlin, Germany


Timings: Daily, 10AM-8PM


Entry Fee: Free of cost

3. Green Vault

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One of the largest collections of treasures in Europe, Green Vault houses an exquisite display of beautiful and amazing artifacts and objects, largely from the collection of King Augustus II from the 18th century. Split into two parts, the historic part is arranged into theme-based rooms with rich collections of ivory, bronze items, gemstones, etc. The new section also has a fantastic assortment of treasure, including the stunning green diamond. Worth every penny spent here, this unique museum in Germany and its spectacular displays are sure to leave you spellbound.

Location: Residenzschloss, Taschenberg 2, 01067 Dresden, Germany


Timings: 10AM-6PM (Tues-Sun) Monday closed.


Entry Fee: 12 Euros/person, which includes an audio-guide

4. Wallraf Richartz Museum

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One of the most impressive art museums in Germany houses artworks by the classic modern artists from 13th to 19th century. You will be pleased to see the quality and number of paintings by world-renowned painters in this Cologne museum. Along with the art works, the museum also gives an insight into the history of various art movements. A pure joy for art lovers, Wallraf Richartz museum showcases the works of Monet, Rubens, Murillo and many other masters.

Location: Obenmarspforten 40, 50667 Köln, Germany


Timings: 10AM-6PM (Tues-Sun). Monday closed.


Entry Fee: 13 Euros/adult

5. Stadel Museum

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This fantastic museum allows you to witness 700 years of European art under a single roof. Displaying more than 3000 paintings, numerous sculptures, prints and drawings, this treasure trove is one of the most famous art museums in Germany. The collection spans from the Renaissance to Baroque, Classic Modern, right up to the present times including works by all great Impressionists.

Location: Schaumainkai 63, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany


Timings: 10AM-6PM (Tues-Wed); 10AM-9PM (Thurs-Fri); 10AM-10PM (Sat); 10AM-8PM (Sun). Monday closed.


Entry Fee: 14 Euros/adult

6. German Historical Museum

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You could easily spend an entire day (or two) exploring one of the most fantastic history museums in Germany, showcasing almost 2000 years of the country’s history from the Middle Ages to the present day. Through a balanced collection of artifacts, paintings, propaganda posters, household items, books, reliefs and relics the museum spread over two floors take you through 9 important eras of German history.

Location: Unter den Linden 2, 10117 Berlin, Germany


Timings: Daily, 10AM-6PM


Entry Fee: 8 Euros/adult

7. Alte Pinakothek

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One of the best art museums in Germany and amongst the oldest in the world, this one is home to over 800 European masterpieces. The small but gorgeously laid out museum houses works of famous masters like Da Vinci, Boticelli, Raphael, Rembrandt and many more. The fantastic museum showcases many impressive masterpieces like Madonna of the Carnation (Da Vinci), Titian’s Vanity and Raphel’s Madonna. The lovely cafe serves great cakes and coffee.

Location: Barer Str. 27, 80333 München, Germany


Timings: 10AM-6PM (Tues-Sun). Monday closed.


Entry Fee: 7 Euros/person; only 1 Euro on Sundays

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8. Kunsthalle Hamburg

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Every art lover must visit this wonderful museum with an impressive collection of paintings and a few sculptures from various eras. The classic and contemporary collections are housed in two separate well-laid out buildings. The section dedicated to Caspar David Friedrich is breathtaking and so is the Catastrophe collection. The wonderful museum also allows you to glimpse through the entire history of art in a few hours, with amazing paintings from German and other European masters.

Location: Glockengießerwall, 20095 Hamburg, Germany


Timings: 10AM-6PM (Tues-Sun) (Thursdays up to 9PM)


Entry Fee: from 12 Euros /adult

9. Altes Museum

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Also amongst the five museums located on the outstanding Museum Island, this amazing museum is designed like a Greek Corinthian temple. One of the best museums in Germany for antiquities and sculptures, its first floor has an impressive collection of Greek and Roman antique decorative art. There is also a huge collection of gold and silver jewellery, as well as a room displaying money through the years. This two-floor museum that takes approximately 2 hours to explore in its entirety and can be combined with a visit to other museums on the island.

Location: Bodestraße 1-3, 10178 Berlin, Germany


Timings: 10AM-6PM (Tues-Sun) (Thursdays up to 8PM)


Entry Fee: 10 Euros/adult

10. Mercedes-Benz Museum and Porsche Museum, Stuttgart

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This fantastic Mercedes Benz Museum spread over a staggering 9 floors takes you on a fascinating journey from the time when the first Mercedes-Benz car engine was conceived to the futuristic designs & research models yet to be introduced. It is a great idea to explore this auto museum in Germany with your kids who will love the display of cars and the interesting stories weaved around their development with photographs & letters.

Timings: 9AM-6PM (Tues-Sun). Monday closed.


Entry fee: 8 Euros/adult

Other than these awesome museums listed above, the two significant open-air museums in Germany worth a visit are the Deutsches Museum in Frankfurt and Black Forest Open Air Museum. Also, if you’re interested in concentration camps museums in Germany, make sure you include all of these places and more in your Europe trip itinerary with TravelTriangle!

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Frequently Asked Questions About Museums In Germany

Q. Are there car museums in Germany?

A. Yes, there are many car museums in Germany like Mercedes Benz Museum, Porsche Museum and many more.

Q. Which are the best holocaust museums in Germany?

A. The best holocaust museums in Germany are Jewish museum, Memorial to the murdered jews of Europe and more.

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