A UNESCO World Heritage Site that comprises some of the cultural highlights not only of Berlin, but all of Europe, and spans nearly 6,000 years of civilisation.
Museum Island (Museumsinsel) is located in the centre of the city on the River Spree. The northern edge of the island is home to no fewer than five world-class museums, which is how the attraction got its name.
The design of each museum reflects the collection it holds inside. Created at various times between 1824 and 1930, each building offers an insight into the evolving nature of modern museum design.
A popular way to visit the museums is to go from the oldest to the newest. Begin with the Altes Museum, or Old Museum, a neoclassical sandstone building dating back to the 1820s. It holds the private art collection of the Prussian royal family. The grand entrance is made up of 18 classical Greek-style columns, and inside there is a fascinating collection of artefacts and art from ancient Greece and Rome to explore.
Next on the list is the Neues Museum, or New Museum. Here you can take a trip through Ancient Egypt and see the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti from the 14th century, along with a wealth of furniture, sculptures and other artefacts, many of which are thousands of years old.
Afterwards, the Alte Nationalgalerie, or Old National Gallery, includes some of the finest in neoclassical, romantic and early modernist art, including famous works by impressionist Claude Monet. Another neoclassical wonder is the Bode Museum, housing Byzantine art, Renaissance sculpture and offerings from well-known European artists such as Donatello.
Finally, there is the newest and probably most famous of the five: the Pergamon Museum, completed in 1930. It was designed to hold prodigious pieces of ancient artworks, such as Islamic Art from the Middle East. Visitors can walk through the fabled gates of Ishtar, the Market Gate of Miletus and climb the steps to the Pergamon Altar, from which the museum gets its name.
Museum Island also contains the architectural treasures of the Berliner Dom and Marstall towards the centre and south.
Museum Island is easily accessible by tram, bus, U-Bahn and S-Bahn.
