Top 100 best museums in Germany

The Pergamon Museum in Berlin is one of the largest museums in Germany. The museum showcases some of the world's most important collections of historical artifacts and art. The museum's collections are divided into three main thematic sections. The most iconic one is the Antiquity Collection, which

The Mercedes-Benz Museum is an automobile museum in Stuttgart that is dedicated to the brand and its history, including all brands associated to Mercedes-Benz. The museum is housed in a building designed by UN Studio that is located right outside the main gate of the Daimler factory. The chronologic

What used to be the headquarters of the Gestapo until 1945 is now an architectural complex which holds the evidence of Nazi crimes. There are three permanent exhibitions in Topography of Terror that you can explore and a number of temporary ones. All information is provided both in German and Englis

BMW Welt is the presentation and distribution center for the current products of the BMW car brand and a conference and symposium center in Munich. All kinds of cars, motorbikes, innovations and examples of technology are exhibited in the Markenwelt (Brand World). The building is not only an exhibit

After being severely damaged during the war, this Neues Museum (re)opened its doors to the public in 2009. It now shows huge collections of Egyptian art, prehistoric objects, and classical antiquities. One of the highlights of the museum is the bust of the Egyptian queen Nefertiti. The Neues Museum

The Munich Residence (Münchner Residenz) was a classicist-style city residence in Munich. Bavarian dukes, electors from 1623 and Bavarian kings from 1806 to 1918 stayed here. This complex is Germany's largest palace within city walls and one of Europe's most important museums for room decoration. It

Opened in 2001, the Jewish Museum in Berlin ranks among the largest ones of its kind in Europe. Visitors can learn more about the history of German Jews from medieval settlements to the modern age and experience the history of Germany from the perspective of the Jewish minority. The museum consists

Opened in 1987, as part of the celebration of 750 years since the founding of Berlin, the German Historical Museum follows the long history of the German nation, as well as that of entire Europe. The museum is located in two main buildings, one modernist, other Baroque, which were erected some 250 y

Located on an island in the middle of the city, the Deutsches Museum is the largest museum devoted to science and technology worldwide. Explore the collection of over 100 000 objects ranging from candelabras to a U1 submarine, or watch one of the interesting interactive programs that change on a dai

The Green Vault (Grünes Gewölbe) is a museum in Dresden that holds the largest collection of treasures in Europe and contains many exhibits from the Baroque to Classicism. The Green Vault is named after the formerly malachite green painted column bases and capitals of the main rooms. The museum open

Tierpark Hellabrunn or the Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich was founded in 1911 and is home to around 15.000 animals relating to 665 species (including the aquarium). This zoo in Munich is divided into 15 themes. It was the first Geo-zoo, where animals from every continent live together. The park is situate

The Porsche Museum is an automobile museum in Stuttgart (Zuffenhausen) in Germany and is located on the site of German carmaker Porsche. The museum contains an area of around 5600 square metres with around 80 exhibits, including many rare cars and historical models.

The Leipzig Zoo (Zoologischer Garten Leipzig) is a zoo in Leipzig that covers about 27 hectares, containing around 850 species. The Leipzig zoo is mostly known for its large building projects, including the Pongoland with gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans and Gondwanaland, the world's se

Artworks dating back to the 13th - 18th centuries are on display in the Gemäldegalerie, housed in a fairly modern-looking building. Some of the highlights include works by Michelangelo, Rembrandt, and Botticelli. The museum's collections are arranged in a chronological order, making it quite easy to

The Alte Pinakothek is a museum that is part of the Munich Kunstareal in Munich, with paintings by Renaissance and Baroque artists in particular. Construction began in 1826 and the building was finished in 1836, making it the then largest museum building in the world. The museum holds a couple of th

The Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds is a museum in Nuremberg housed in the remains of the Congress Hall of the former Nazi party rallies. The museum features a permanent exhibition called "Fascination and Terror" on the causes, connections, and consequences of Nazi Germany and National

The Old Masters Painting Gallery (Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister) is a musuem in Dresden that holds a collection of paintings from the 15th to the 18th centuries. The collection contains over 750 paintings, including old masterpieces from the Italian Renaissance and Baroque, but also works by the Flemi

Spanning an area of some 5 000 square meters, the BMW Museum in Munich features exhibitions detailing the history of the BMW brand, but also a collection of the company's best cars and motorbikes. Sit in one of the vehicles and play a VR game that will allow you to feel like you are really driving i

The Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin (German Museum of Technology Berlin) is one of the largest engineering museums in the world, with an exhibition area of ​​approximately 50,000 m². The exhibition includes: vintage cars, airplanes, trains, ships, electromagnetic coils, coffers, jewelry, machines, co

The Cologne zoo (Cologne Zoological Garden) is a zoo in Cologne that was founded in 1860. The zoo is home to more than 10,000 animals of over 850 different species. The Cologne Zoo with its attached aquarium and invertebrate exhibit is active in various endangered species programmes. The zoo's highl

The Schokoladenmuseum Köln (also known as the Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum and Imhoff chocolate museum is a museum in Cologne that is dedicated to chocolate. The museum illustrates the history of chocolate, from its beginnings with the Olmecs, Maya and Aztecs to contemporary products and production meth

The Rickmer Rickmers is a significant historical monument in Hamburg. This three-masted steel cargo sailing ship is now a museum, providing visitors with a glimpse into the maritime history of the city. It is located in the port of Hamburg at the St. Pauli Landing Bridges, a popular tourist area known for its vibrant nightlife and entertainment.

Wilhelma Zoo and Botanical Garden is a zoological-botanical garden in Stuttgart that is located on the grounds of a historic castle. The Wilhelmina zoo and Botanical Garden covers an area of about 30 hectares and is home to 11,500 animals from around the world that represent 1,200 species and featur

Erlebnis Zoo Hannover is the zoo of the German city of Hannover in the state of Lower Saxony, which was opened in 1865. The 22-hectare zoo is home to more than 3,000 animals representing around 230 species. Zoo Hanover is nowadays an "Erlebnis-Zoo" (an experience zoo): the zoo is divided into themed

The DDR Museum is an authentic and interactive museum devoted to the daily life in former East Germany (DDR). It is divided into three main areas: Public Life, State and Ideology, and Life in a Tower Block. You can see a typical DDR living room, try on usual DDR clothes, use an original typewriter o

Designed by Agostino Barelli, the name of this palace literally translates as the Castle of the Nymphs. When the Bavarian royalty in the 17th century wanted to take a summer break, they would go to the Nymphenburg Palace. Today, it is open to the public and home to several historical museums. You ca

The Städel Museum (Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie) is a museum in Frankfurt with one of the most important art collections in Germany. The museum holds around 2,700 paintings of which 600 are on display in the museum, a collection of graphic work (100,000 drawings and graphics) and

The Natural History Museum in Berlin (Museum für Naturkunde) is housed in a building erected between 1883 and 1889. With a collection of more than 60 million objects, it is one of the largest natural history museums in the world. A highlight in the Natural History Musuem in Berlin is the world's lar

The Palace of Tears (Tränenpalast) is the former train station and a crossing place between East and West Germany. Citizens from the west part of the country were allowed to travel and this was the place where they said their goodbyes to their friends and family in the east. After the fall of the Be

The International Maritime Museum is housed in a former warehouse. It is a private museum that houses Peter Tamm's collection of model ships, construction plans, uniforms, maritime art and many photographs. Peter Tamm was chairman of the board of the Axel Springer AG, the largest digital publishing

Reminiscent of an ancient Greek temple and a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, the Old National Gallery (Alte Nationalgalerie) in Berlin houses a huge collection of art of various styles and movements. The collection contains works of the Neoclassical and Romantic movements (by artists such as

The Hamburger Kunsthalle is the art museum in Hamburg and is one of the largest museums in Germany. The Kunsthalle covers seven centuries of European art, from the Middle Ages to the present day. The museum is divided into four main sections: the Gallery of Old Masters, the Gallery of 19th-century A

Dialogue in the Dark is a museum experience where visitors explore the exhibition in complete darkness led by blind people to understand what is their life is like.

The Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg is a zoo of which the collection began in 1863 with animals that belonged to amateur animals collector Carl Hagenbeck Sr. The zoo itself was founded in 1907 and is mostly known for for being the first zoo to use open enclosures surrounded by moats.

Museum Ludwig is a modern art museum in Cologne. The museum holds and exhibits a collection of modern art that includes works from Pop Art, Abstract and Surrealism. The Ludwig Museum essentially incorporates the Sammlung Haubrich, a collection by lawyer Josef Haubrich of art from 1914 to 1939. Today

Opened in 1844, the Berlin Zoological Garden is Germany's oldest and best-known animal park. More than 1500 different species make it an educative place to visit. The Zoo has many unique animals, including polar bears, pandas, and penguins and it organizes engaging shows and feedings. Due to its lim

The Naturmuseum Senckenberg (Senckenberg Natural History Museum) is the largest museum of natural sciences in Germany, located in Frankfurt and housed in a building that was built between 1904 and 1907. The Naturmuseum Senckenberg holds the largest collection of large dinosaurs in Europe. One specif

Opened in 2003, the Classic Remise Berlin center is packed with vintage cars. You can see showrooms, shop for spare parts or take a tour and learn about the origins of this facility. The total area of ​​the Classic Remise Berlin is approximately 12,000 m². In the Classic Remise there are 88 setting

The Samurai Museum Berlin is a unique institution that houses a private collection of artifacts and art objects related to the Japanese warrior class. This collection belongs to Peter Janssen, a construction entrepreneur. The museum offers a rare opportunity to explore the rich history and culture of the Samurai, making it a fascinating destination for those interested in Japanese history and culture.

The Romano-Germanic Museum (Roman-German Museum) is an archaeological museum in Cologne that holds and exhibits Roman artifacts from the Roman settlement of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, the Roman settlement on which the city of Cologne is built. The museum can be seen as an archaeological sit

The Neue Pinakothek is a museum of painting and sculpture of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, which is part of the Kunstareal München in Munich. The museum. The Neue Pinakothek in Munich shows a selection of 400 works from the total collection of 3000 paintings and 300 sculptures. The collec

The Classic Remise Düsseldorf was opened on 16 September 2006 in a former roundhouse. The total area is more than 19,000 square meters. The Classic Remise Düsseldorf contains 80 boxes of glass for the exhibition of cars and 35 specialized service providers - including dealers, restorers, workshops a

The museum is situated in the historic Speicherstadt, on an old storage floor in the Speicher Block L. This location adds to the charm and authenticity of the museum, providing a fitting backdrop for the exploration of spices.

Madame Tussauds Berlin is wax museum named after its founder, Marie Tussaud, who made the first figures herself. Madame Tussauds museums can be found all over the world. The museums display wax doppelgangers of well known historical figures, artists, scientists and philosophers as well as celebritie

The NS Documentation Centre of the City of Cologne (The National Socialism Documentation Center) is a memorial site that is housed in the EL-DE Haus, the headquarters of the Cologne Gestapo. The NS DOcumentation Centre is the largest regional memorial site in Germany for the victims the Nazi regime.

The Fragrance Museum Farina-House is a museum in Cologne that is dedicated to fragrances and more specifically that illustrates the production methods of perfume throughout the various stages with a focus on Eau de Cologne. The Fragrance Museum Cologne is housed in the eldest fragrance factory still

Nuremberg Zoo (Tiergarten Nürnberg) is a zoo in Nuremberg, in the Nuremberg Reichswald (the Imperial Forest) that covers an area of 67 hectares and is home to approximately 300 animal species. The zoo is one of the largest zoos in Europe.

Chocoversum by Hachez is a chocolate museum that offers a variety of delicious goods. You can attend an informative guided tour to learn about how chocolate is made from bean to bar, including loads of tasting.

The Germanisches Nationalmuseum is the largest museum of cultural history in Germany, located in Nuremberg. The museum holds and exhibits a large collection of items related to German culture and art from prehistoric times to the present day. The collection consists of around 1,3 million objects of

The Tierpark Berlin is a zoo in Berlin which covers an area of ​​160 hectares, making it the largest landscape zoo in Europe. With around 10,000 animals of around 1000 species, it is also one of the most species-rich zoos. It includes the Freianlagen for ungulates; an accommodation for mountain anim

Schloss Benrath (Benrath Palace) is a Baroque-style maison de plaisance - a pleasure palace - in Benrath, a borough of Düsseldorf. The palace was built for the Elector Palatine Charles Theodor and his wife, Countess Palatine Elisabeth Auguste of Sulzbach.Construction of the palace began in 1755 and

The Panometer Dresden is a former gasometer in which one of two panoramic paintings of Austrian-born artist Yadegar Asisi is displayed, alongside an exhibition. The panoramas Baroque Dresden and Dresden 1945 have been shown alternately. The former shows Dresden as it might have appeared in 1756, the

The Zoologischer Garten Frankfurt am Main (Frankfurt Zoo) is the zoo of Frankfurt am Main that was opened in 1858, making it the oldest zoo in Germany after the Berlin Zoo. The zoo is home to over 4,500 animals with over 500 species on more than 11 hectares. Three buildings house most animal species

Dedicated to East Germany's secret police and housed in its former headquarters, the Stasi Museum in Berlin will inform you about state surveillance. The collection of the museum includes spy equipment and visitors can explore unchanged offices, and learn about the establishment of the Ministry of S

Despite its romantic setting by the lake, the Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz has witnessed a dreadful part of German history. The so-called "Final Solution", the deportation and mass murder of European Jews, was put into motion in this villa in 1942. As a reminder of these horrible acts, it has been tur

The Hamburg Museum, or Museum of Hamburg History, is a history museum on this history of the city of Hamburg that was established in 1922. The museum has many objects preserved by the Society of Hamburg History that was founded in 1839. The museum is known for displaying miniature scale models that

Museum Berggruen in Berlin is a museum with a collection of modern art classics, called the Berggruen collection, named after the art collector Heinz Berggruen. At the heart of the collection are the more than 100 works by Pablo Picasso and more than 60 paintings by Paul Klee. Henri Matisse is repre

The Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg is a museum of fine, applied and decorative arts that features various collections, including special Islamic art, expressionistic art and a Japanese teahouse. So don't hesitate and come explore. Be sure to check the official website prior to your visit fo

The Wallraf–Richartz Museum is an art gallery with a collection of fine art from the medieval period to the early 20th century. The museum includes a Gothic collection, a Renaissance collection, a Baroque collection and an Impressionist collection. Highlights of the permanent exhibition include artw

The Nuremberg Toy Museum (Lydia Bayer Museum or Nürnberger Spielzeugmuseum) is a municipal museum in Nuremberg that depicts the cultural history of toys from antiquity to the present. The museum in Nuremberg is considered to be one of the most well known toy museums in the world. The collection that

The Municipal Gallery in Lenbach House is a museum in Munich that is housed in the former villa of the German painter Franz von Lenbach, built between 1887 and 1891. The museum primarily displays work by painters that worked in Munich in the 18th and 19th centuries. The paintings of the Münchner Sch

The Pinakothek der Moderne is a museum in Munich that is part of the Kunstareal Munich. The Pinakothek der Moderne accommodates four different museums, namely: Sammlung für Moderne Kunst (with all modern art movements with their most important representatives), Die Neue Sammlung (the history and dev

The Computerspielemuseum is an interactive museum where you can learn about the history of computer games in an engaging way. The Computerspielemuseum in Berlin is the very first museum dedicated to video games in Europe. There are also some retro arcade machines, including classics such as Donkey K

The DB Museum is a railway museum in Nuremberg. Important historical railway vehicles include parts of the royal train for the Bavarian king, Ludwig II and an original coal wagon from 1829, the oldest steam locomotive in Germany still preserved in its original state, the Nordgau (built in 1853). Fur

The Heimat-Tierpark Olderdissen (animal park Olderdissen) is an urban zoo in Bielefeld that consists of around 16 hectares. The zoo is home to more than 450 individual animals, including 90 different species. The park offers a year-round 24-hour opening with free entry and focuses on the representat

The James Simon Gallery is a visitor center and art gallery situated in a central location on Museum Island in Berlin, Germany. It is nestled between the reconstructed Neues Museum and the Kupfergraben arm of the Spree river. This strategic location makes it easily accessible and a convenient starting point for exploring the rich cultural heritage of Museum Island.

The Staatsgalerie Stuttgart (State Gallery) is an art museum in Stuttgart in Germany that exhibits painting from the end of the Middle Ages as well as sculptures from the 19th century and an extensive graphic collection. The collection of the Staatsgalerie contains around 5,000 paintings and sculptu

Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum (The German Mining Museum) is a museum in Bochum that presents four tours. Tour 1 presents the history of German coal and tour 2 delves into the global relationships between humans and mining – across eras and sectors. Tour 3 and 4 cover the topics of natural resource

Built in 1904, the Bode Museum is housed in a historical building and holds collections of ancient art, items from the Byzantine and Gothic eras and the world's largest numismatic collection. After being known as the Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum up until 1956, the museum was renamed after its curator -

Operating since 1999, the interactive museum Story of Berlin presents the history of Berlin. Learn how people lived in different eras of the city's history. You can also take a guided tour through a nuclear bomb shelter from the Cold War. The museum is located inside the Kudamm Karree shopping mall.

The German Hygiene Museum (Deutsches Hygiene-Museum) is a medical museum in Dresden. It sees itself as a public forum for science, culture and society. On permanent display are the permanent exhibition "Abenteuer Mensch" and the "Kinder-Museum Unsere fünf Sinne". The permanent exhibition puts the hu

The German football museum (The Deutsche Fußballmuseum) is a museum dedicated to football on the Platz der deutschen Einheit in the German city of Dortmund. The museum has two floors, both of which deal with an important part of German football. The history of the German national football team is il

Museum Folkwang is an art museum in Essen with an art collection with 19th- and 20th-century art. The collection of the museum contains works of impressionism, expressionism, surrealism and other styles of modern art. In addition, Museum Folkwang holds objects of the arts and crafts, a graphic and a

The Bundeswehr Military History Museum (Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr Dresden, MHMBw) is the military museum of the Bundeswehr (the German Armed Forces). The museum is housed in a former military arsenal and is one of the major military history museums in Germany. The Military History Mu

The Universum Bremen is an interactive science exhibition in Bremen where visitors can interact with the more than 300 exhibits that are related to technology, man and nature. This way, visitors can experience and understand scientific phenomena up close and with all their senses.

The Bach Museum is a museum in Leipzig that is dedicated to the composer Johann Sebastian Bach and his family. It is located in the Bosehaus where the Bach Archive is located. In addition to original pieces from Bach's life, interactive elements have also been added to the presentation. There are mu

The Zoologischer Garten Wuppertal, in short Zoo Wuppertal or Wuppertaler Zoo, is a zoo in Wuppertal in Germany. The zoo was opened in 1881 and after an expansion in 2006, the zoo contains an area of 24 hectares. The park-like layout of the zoo features numerous trees and lanes. Zoo Wuppertal is home

The NS-Dokumentationszentrum Munchen is a museum in Munich that is dedicated to the history of the city and of Bavaria between the First and Second World Wars, with particular attention to the political and social consequences of Nazism. Opened to the public on 1 May 2015, the museum was built symbo

The Transport Museum Dresden (Verkehrsmuseum Dresden) is a museum in Dresden that is housed in The Johanneum, a 16th-century Renaissance building, that displays vehicles of all modes of transport and their history. The museum is divided into thematic areas, namely: Railway, Cars, Bicycles and motorb

The German Film Museum (Deutsches Filmmuseum) is one of seven film museums in Germany. The museum is located in Frankfurt and housed in a listed historic villa. The German Film Museum is dedicated to film. The origins of the film, its development and future are the theme of the permanent exhibition,

Spy Museum is a private museum in Berlin that was inaugurated in 2015. The museum has an interactive and multimedia-oriented exhibition that deals with the history of international spy and intelligence services. A special focus in the Spy Museum Berlin is on the spies in Berlin during the Cold War.

The Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum is a museum of ethnography in Cologne that arose from a collection of over 3500 items belonging to ethnographer Wilhelm Joest. The museum answers questions such as: How do people live their lives at different times and in different parts of the world? And what connects

Situated in a converted air-raid shelter, Sammlung Boros is a private collection that contains more than 500 works of contemporary art - including pieces by Damian Hirst. The bunker can be accessed only in small groups with a guide - the visit has to be booked in advance.

The Museum in der Runden Ecke is a museum in Leipzig on the history, structure and operation of the Ministry of State Security (MfS) in the GDR. The museum houses the permanent exhibition "Stasi - Power and Banality".

The Aquarium Berlin It is one of the largest aquariums in Germany. It is located in Berlin and was built in 1913 as part of the Zoological Garden complex in Berlin. Since its opening, the Aquarium Zoo has been classified among the public aquariums with the greatest biodiversity in the world. More th

The exhibition venue for photography and visual media shows works by renowned artists, promotes emerging talent and accompanies children, youths and adults on their journeys of discovery through our visual culture.

The Zeitgeschichtliche Forum is a museum in Leipzig that illustrates the history of the German division, of everyday life in the communist dictatorship of the GDR and of the reunification process as well as the challenges that face the reunited Germany in the 21st century. The permanent exhibition b

The Galerie Neue Meister (New Masters Gallery) is a modern art museum in Dresden that is housed in the Albertinum that exhibits around 300 paintings from the 19th century until today. The collection of the museum contains around 3,000 pieces and includes works from Otto Dix, Edgar Degas, Vincent van

The FC Bayern Erlebniswelt is Germany's biggest club museum that takes visitors on a journey from the foundation in 1900 to the present day, immersing visitors in the story of Germany’s most successful club. Numerous trophies, exhibits, and innovative media technology come together at the FC Bayern

The Berlin Film Museum or Museum of Film and Television Berlin is one of the six film museums in Germany. The entire history of German film is shown in the museum from the 18th century to the present. Furthermore, German actress Marlene Dietrich occupies a special place in the museum and it features

The Red Dot Design Museum is a museum in Essen where the winning products of the Red Dot Design Award are presented. The Red Dot Design Award is an international product design and communication design prize awarded by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen with prize categories for product design,