The Staatliche Museen zu Berlin are mostly open Tuesday to Sunday, a few open on Monday and Thursday evenings and most museums open on public holidays.
The Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (national museums and galleries) are generally open Tuesday to Sunday from around 10 am to 6 pm. Some of the major museums and galleries are open until 8 pm on Thursday evenings. Only the Pergamon Museum and Neues Museum require time-slot ticket reservations (free and the only sensible way to see these top museums) and are open on regular Mondays as well.
The Berlin State Museums are open on most public holidays (including on holiday Mondays) – using Sunday opening hours. The museums are usually closed on December 24 and 31 (what isn’t in Germany?) but open on Christmas Day itself and opening around noon on January 1.
Berlin Museums Closed in 2018
The following Berlin State Museums are closed in 2018 (and, unfortunately, mostly beyond):
- Etnologisches Museum / Ethnological Museum (closed – reopens 2019 on Museum Island in the Humboldt Forum in the rebuilt Berlin Schloss)
- Museum für Asiatische Kunst / Museum for Asiatic Art (closed – reopens 2019 on Museum Island in the Humboldt Forum in the rebuilt Berlin Schloss)
- Neue National Gallerie / New National Gallery (closed for several years for renovation)
- Friedrichwerdersche Kirche – closed indefinitely due to structural issues.
Note: The Pergamon Museum is being renovated and some halls may closed while most of the museum remains open. The hall with the Pergamon Altar will only be fully accessible around 2025/26 but glimpses of the temple may be possible before then.
Opening Hours on Museum Island Berlin
All museums on Museumsinsel Berlin (Alte Nationalgalerie, Altes Museum, Bode Museum, Neues Museum and Pergamon Museum) are open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm, closing at 8 pm on Thursday.
The Pergamonmuseum and Neues Museum are also open on Monday from 10 am to 6 pm. Admission to these two museum are by time-slot tickets – worth reserving in advance (up to around two months in advance possible).
Tickets may be bought online from SMB but buying from Tiqets is a lot simpler and cost the same as the official museum website.
Opening Hours of Kulturforum / Cultural Forum Museums in Berlin
The museums in the Kulturforum area are open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am on weekdays (11 am on weekends) and closing at 6 pm.
The Gemäldegalerie and Kunstbibliothek are open on Thursday nights until 8 pm. Temporary exhibitions in the other museums often have late hours on Thursdays as well.
(The Neue Nationalgalerie will be closed for several years from 2015.)
Opening Hours of Museums in Dahlem
The Museum of European Cultures in Berlin-Dahlem is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and weekends from 11 am to 6 pm. The Ethnological and Asian Art museums are closed pending the move to Museum Island (re-open 2019),
Opening Hours of Museums in Charlottenburg
The Berggruen Museum and Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg are open Tuesday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm and on weekends from 11 am to 6 pm. The Museum für Fotographie is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm, closing 8 pm on Thursday.
Opening Hours of the Hamburger Bahnhof
The Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart – Berlin Museum of Contemporary Art is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm and weekends from 11 am to 6 pm.
The Hamburger Bahnhof is open on Thursday evening until 8 pm.
Opening Hours for Schloss Köpenick
Schloss Köpenick is open Thursday to Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm.
More on the Berlin State Museum (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin)
- Top National Museum and Galleries in Berlin (brief overview)
- Berlin State Museum What Is Seen Where? (a short description of the collections in the different museums)
- Berlin State Museums Opening Hours (9 to 5 was always going to be too simple)
- Ticket Prices for Berlin State Museums (prices for museums, temporary exhibitions, combination tickets, online time-slot reservations). Buying online from Tiqets is a lot simpler and cost the same as the official museum website.
- Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (official website in German & English)