The most important tidbit: go early! If possible, go right when it opens. Given the interactive concept of the museum, it gets crowded and can take a while to go through if you're dealing with long lines of people waiting to see or do something. This museum is fantastic. As I said, it is very interactive, which makes it great for people of all ages. You can even sit in a Trabant and take a virtual drive in a real Trabbi. It's so interesting to be able to see the interior of them and see just how sparse the dashboard was. There is so much more, though, including a scale model of the Berlin Wall, namely the huge gap in between the East and West sides. It also shows how different the buildings and construction were in the two countries. Everything is labelled too, helping people to figure out what purpose each wall served, for example. All facets of DDR life are covered, too. There are the outfits children would wear, and information on how the scarves the boys wore had to be tied. Different jobs available to an East German are covered, too, as is the technology. It is interesting to see how the DDR was always at least a few years behind the rest of the Western world, including the BRD. The food and drink sold in the DDR are here, too. If you have seen the movie "Good Bye, Lenin!" you'll already be familiar with some of it. Multiple televisions are lined up, each showing a different popular show in the DDR, from a children's cartoon to something that reminded me a lot of Solid Gold. There is even an actual old school typewriter, not behind a glass case but out for anyone to try out and see what life was like before electric typewriters or even computers. The voting process is explained, rather neutrally in my opinion, stressing how it was made nearly impossible for an East German to not vote for the majority power (hint: your only choice was to refuse to vote by crossing off every name on the ballot). The sort of upper class of DDR is mentioned, and that despite its communistic government, there was actually inequality. There is even a replica of a questioning room one would find at a police station, complete with a bright light for intimidation. It sounds lamer than it really is, but being in there gives you an idea of the methods the police would use to get information out of people. There is also a replica of a prison, showing the cramped quarters. There is no language barrier here, either. Everything is shown in English and German, although of course any audio or visual elements are only in German. However, the signs next to these explains what you're hearing and seeing, so if you speak no German you will at least know what you're looking at. The gift shop is great, too, with loads of books, maps, and even DVDs and such. One must-buy is a green Trabbi - they're good luck! ;) read more

One of my favorite museums in Berlin. Although not very large and can be viewed within 1-2 hours max, but what makes it special is how interactive it is. You can drive a Trabi, open wardrobes with East German clothes, sample the only 50% coffee 'Kaffee Mix', get locked up in a Stasi cell, and sit on the bureau of an SED functionary receiving angry calls from your party leaders. Totally recommended. read more

A thank you to Robert from DDR for your comments and informing yelpers. Lovely to see the DDR active and helpful on their reviews. I went on a Monday at 6pm(ish) it is of course the holidays in Berlin, but just initially it was rather cramps and busy the thin corridor meant overtaking to come back wasn't really an option. I had also just been to the history museum before which is almost ridiculously big so really felt the crowd at first. That said it did clear by the last room but did miss out on things because of queueing which was a shame. Thanks Robert and do hope to experience the DDR again one day. read more

This is a fantastic museum and worthy of the admission price! The information is presented in an interactive way that makes it fun (despite my later comments) and there are displays that go along with all the information. A replica movie theater and home, tons of relics and antiques and even the chance to 'drive' a car! I, embarrassingly, didn't know very much about the Berlin Wall or life in Germany before visiting and I found this museum fascinating and I learned more here than any other stop in Berlin. So glad we stopped here. The only fault of the museum is that even it is almost 'too interactive' for the amount of people that visit it. While pulling out drawers and lifting flaps is neat and fun and a great way to make learning stick, it is annoying when you are trying to read the same thing as 12 people other people because it is so crowded. The person holding the flap open inevitably finishes reading it and closes while you are still reading... or you have to awkwardly hand off in order not to lose your place. The museum is also small and hard to navigate when stuffed full with 200 high schoolers. I skipped half of the information just because I didn't want to wait 12 people deep to read it. My tip is to try and visit when school is not in session and taking field trips. read more

I've traveled to a good number of countries and cities abroad and in doing so, I've visited my fair share of museums. This was honestly one of the best museums that I've ever been to. I absolutely loved that it was "100%" interactive. I absolutely loved the fact that I could see, feel, and truly experience how life must have been in East Germany. I also loved the fact that the gift shop even carried East German goods! This museum is a bit on the cramped side and since it's quite popular, it was rather crowded when I went to visit it just a few weeks ago. Lots of school aged children, it seems, were on field trips to the museum. Nevertheless, I got my chance to see and experience nearly everything that the museum had to offer. I've never been to such an interactive museum before and I would recommend it to anybody visiting Berlin in a heartbeat. read more

Mind blown. This is a comprehensive nosedive into life in the DDR. Museum itself is small but jam packed with fascinating exhibits that are engaging and even funny at times. Every piece of life is looked at through the lens of the East German value system, from sex to politics to media and kitchen tools. There's something for everyone. I spent three hours here but easily would go back for more. Gets crowded very quickly, show up early! Student discount so I got in for 6€. Just go. read more

I loved this museum. You might expect that a museum on DDR would be hard to pull off, that this might just be a series of dusty objects from East-Berlin put behind glasses, but it is far from it. The place in itself is rather small but there are plenty of things to discover. The museum is entirely built on interaction with objects: you open drawers and doors to find objects and information about everyday life, you can pretend to drive a Trabant, you can sit in a typical living room from East-Germany and watch TV, ... It is as much informative as it is interactive: many aspects of DDR are treated from everyday life (school, the media, food, clothes, ...) to politics. When I came into the museum I didn't know very much about life in DDR, so I feel that I've learned a lot. And I must say that I did see East-Berlin with new eyes afterwards. read more

A good friend had recommended the DDR Museum, but I'm sorry to say it was a disappointment. That's not to say that the information isn't all very interesting, but it's poorly presented and very badly laid out. We showed up at 6pm on Easter Sunday, and hadn't appreciated just how busy it would be. The lay out, however, results in a complete bottleneck as you enter, something that largely continues for the rest of the museum (although it does ease off as the space gets bigger). The main problem of course is that you can't get in to see and read any of the exhibitions properly (especially when people hog certain areas). Later on, as you start to be able to breathe, you have the problem of not being able to fully access all the information. This is because as well as the more obvious screens and photos, there are lots of doors and drawers to open with more information. It's a neat idea but doesn't work in practice when your fellow museum goers are standing right in front of it all, preventing anyone from really accessing more than a small amount of the information. The DDR Museum should be good, it's a fascinating subject and a completely alien world to those of us from Western Europe, but the poor layout lets them down considerably. read more

DDR Museum is very interesting and showcases what life was like behind the Berlin Wall under Socialism. It's quite interactive with lots of displays you can touch and play with, so youngsters will love it, but it's good for adults too. There are rooms recreated and furnished just like an authentic 1970/80s WBS 70 high rise apartment tower block. However, depending on how old you are some of the rooms won't look that unfamiliar - I remember lots of furnishings and household items from my own Northern Irish childhood! This museum is full of old cars, motorbikes, food packaging and fascinating information. Though it was extremely busy and quite difficult to get close to artefacts and displays to look at them properly or read information - this is a Museum which really should limit visitor numbers to ensure people can utilise it properly. My advice would be to go very early in the day to avoid the huge crowds of tourists... read more

See all

I had a fantastic time at the DDR Museum. When planning my Berlin trip I decided that this was a must-see and it didn't let me down at all. I am a history enthusiast and this museum had everything I could have wanted. It was a lot more interactive than most museums, even allowing you to sit in a Trabant! You are taken back in time as there are rooms made up just as they would have been 'back then'. Sit on a DDR toilet. I learnt a lot about the DDR and think that people from outside of Germany, like myself, will appreciate it for this. This is one of the best museums I have ever visited and I wholeheartedly recommend a visit. Make sure to go to the accompanying restaurant as well, to complete your journey back to the days of the DDR! read more

Completely touristy museum but still very, very interesting. It showcases of what life was like in East Germany during Communist occupation. Displays everything from what cars they drove to school and household items, toys and even a model home. There's even an interrogation room. Like I said, it's touristy to the point of bordering cheesy but it was extremely interesting and highly recommend checking this museum out. Admission is €7 and you get a discount with the Welcome Berlin card so it's definitely worth it. read more

See all

An easy introduction into life in the DDR. If you are curious, this is the best place to start because it's a nice balance of information and hands on. You can sit in a Trabant that the average citizen hoped to get and compare it to the Volvo that the political elite had access to. It's not a big museum, so it's also good for kids and it's hands on, open format makes it not so intimidating. However, if you are a cold war buff, it may feel too superficial and not provide the fix you're looking for. I crossed into East Berlin more than a dozen times between 1981 and 1989 and the museum just doesn't impart the dour lifestyle that existed. read more

I love this museum - there aren't a lot of resources about daily life in the DDR, and, as someone born after the Wall fell, it's hard to imagine. the museum is interactive and, for the most part, objective. you can indulge in "ostalgie" for trabis and other extinct DDR relics, but the museum is also candid about the failings of the DDR's policies and its blatant disregard for human rights. I do wish there was more about the state-sponsored drug use among Olympic athletes (and the fact that many athletes didn't know they were being drugged at all), but I can understand the omission since that information is pretty widely known already. the museum's one big flaw is that it's pretty small, and, while it's cheaper than the museums on museum island, it still seems a tad overpriced considering the size. the size also means it gets filled up easily, and being there at the same time as a huge crowd really puts a damper on the experience. I still think it's worth checking out, but definitely not before the Pergamon or Neues Museum. read more

Very insightful to the world of DDR. You can really see how the people on the "other" side of the wall lived. You see the styles of the DDR, the tiny, what seemed like play kitchens the citizens had to deal with, and even films of the propaganda spread by the government. I really had this erie feeling inside of me which is probably a good indication that the museum was giving me the right impression of the DDR. I even products that the DDR citizens had to use and learned about the lack of bananas on the east side. This isn't the most impressive museum, nothing like the Pergamon (which is mostly stolen temples and artifacts from the East) but the interactiveness of the DDR Museum keeps it fun. There's not many museums in which you get to go into and play with the displays so I guess the inner-kid in me enjoyed it. Check it out if you're in Berlin and have any interest in seeing and feeling how East Germany was like. read more

To small, to crowded. You have to hold the doors open overhad if you want to read the information. For a short person or disabled person not possible. Weird setup for a museum. Cheap to get in, the restaurant next door is overpriced. read more

It's six months later, and I realized I'd neglected to recommend a small book I bought at the gift shop. It's entitled "GDR - Guide: A Journey To A Bygone State" (it accompanies the permanent exhibit). It's a tall/thin softcover book, and it has some great photos & an informative write-up. In fact, the book is worthwhile buying regardless - and a quick internet search revealed that The Book Depository has the very best price. read more

Recommended by a friend who visited just before I arrived, this museum is hands down my favorite that I've been to! I must admit I'm fascinated by the DDR time period in Germany and enjoy learning more--this museum offers a great glimpse into the life of those living in the DDR at the time as well as provided explanations and critique of the life as it was. The museum is very interactive and fun to visit with groups (although not as fun when you're fighting to see the different things--as someone else suggested, go early!). When I say interactive, there are different things you can touch, "games" you can play, music to listen to and so on. The entrance was quite reasonable, especially given the interactive nature of the museum. The first portion describes the life of an average DDR citizen, including their education, products available to them, vocations, family life, entertainment, private life, etc. The second part explores the more government end of things including military, laws, how the system worked, state control, etc. I think it took about 3-4 hours to see it all and I was interested in learning about all of it. I'd definitely recommend visiting this museum, it is definitely worth the time! read more

If you have 4 or 5 days in Berlin this is worth seeking. But there is not much to see. They basically explain how bad life was in the Communist East Germany read more

Hands down one of the best museums I've ever been to. A friend of mine takes her students to Berlin each year and had never heard of it a complete travesty and one they're going to fix on the next trip, as this is definitely not one to miss. Totally engaging and interactive, the DDR Museum is full to the brim with information, pictures, activities, films and exhibits. And it's so cheap! Don't leave Berlin until you've been here! read more

Exicitng and creative museum just by the museum island. Small and crowded place but worthwhile to spend time. If you are interested in how was the life in DDR in many aspects do not miss it. read more

This was the first time I was into an interactive museum and loved it. It has cheap entrance (6Euros for adults 4Euros for students), which might be one of the reasons it was so crowded when I went there. In addition you get a discount for the DDR restaurant next door with your ticket. It can also be considered small in terms of exhibitions compared to other museums of the city, but very insightful about the DDR era. The location of the museum is perfect if you are visiting the city as a tourist, due to the fact that is relatively near Alexanderplatz. A must see for every visitor of Berlin, but not only. read more

The DDR Museum is an unique and specific museum and one of the most-visited museums in Berlin. Specific because of three main reasons. The DDR Museum is the only museum which concentrates on everyday life in the GDR. We don't only show the crimes of the State Security or the border defences at the Berlin Wall but we display the life of the people in the dictatorship: Maybe you know the spreewald pickles, nudism beaches and the Trabi - the rest of the life in this socialist state is unfamiliar to most of the people in the world. A hands-on experience of history - the DDR Museum is not an exhibition to regard, but the visitor has to take part, to handle the exhibits and to look behind drawers and doors. For this reason we are one of the most interactive museums in the world - not the least point which nominated us for the European Museum of the Year Award 2008. read more

Loads of interactive exhibits. Go early because it can get very crowded. read more

DDR Museum - Museums Near Me - Berlin, BE

See all

this museum is similar to the Wall/Charlie museum in that its exhibits concern life in Germany under communist oppression. however, the DDR Museum (not Dance Dance Revolution!) is more focused on the social and cultural aspects of life in East Germany and East Berlin. it's got a bit more of a lighter tone - it looks at "ostalgia" (roughly translated, how things were in East Germany). first off, it's a bargain to get in: 5.5 Euro for adults or 3.5 with a transit/sightseeing pass discount. second, it's a completely interactive museum and they encourage you to play around with the exhibits and take pictures: - there's a Trabant that you can squeeze into while a grainy video of driving through East Berlin plays. - there's a mockup of a living room and kitchen. you can watch demented communist propaganda cartoons and newscasts on the TV. - some sort of commie foosball table which is either rigged on purpose or due to wear and tear. I like to think it's the former. - mockup of a Stasi listening station with recorded conversations. I loved this museum. it's not huge, but it's a lot of fun. exhibits are in English and German. read more

As an ausländer, this was my first look at life inside the DDR and it was fascinating to say the least. I was expecting something a little preachier but was pleasantly surprised. Mostly light-hearted it focuses more on day to day life inside the ddr as opposed to dwelling on the harsh realities of everyday existence. Sure theres a section on the stasi and their eavesdropping techniques but as with everything here it is dealt with in an informative and educational way. The highlights for me were certainly the mock-up apartment (with books such as "The housewives guide" and typical 60s and 70s decor) and the Trabi. (Trying to squeeze into one, never mind starting it, was an effort in itself.) Overall its a great, educational way to spend a couple of hours with many hands-on displays, informative text and interesting exhibits. If only all museums were this fun and interactive. With an entrance fee of less than the price of a movie ticket its a far more entertaining and interesting way to spend 2 hours. read more

Would not recommend on a Sunday afternoon in the summer. Too crowded, a little hot inside. Was interesting, wish I had gone on a weekday, early. read more

The DDR museum which aims to give visitors an insight into life in East Germany was a little disappointing to me. Firstly we visited in August and it was RAMMED. There was clearly no maximum capacity of any sort in operation and they just kept piling people in. This made it really difficult to see everything properly and you were sort of pulled around by the crowd. The most disappointing thing though is the light-heartedness. It seems to be a very tongue-in-cheek look at life on the Eastern side of the wall. It covers things like the difference in fashion, cars, even cereal from East to West and skips over the whole -families tragically torn apart and loved ones lost as they desperately scramble over the wall for a better life only to get shot - side of things! That being said however, there are plenty of depressing (albeit brilliant and informative) museums and monuments to visit so maybe a lighthearted, child friendly museum can be a bit of relief! This museum pokes fun at the way of life in the East rather than addressing the hard hitting issues but everything has it's place I guess. I would suggest you take everything you see at the DDR museum with a pinch of salt and balance it out with a visit to the cold war section of the German History Museum or the Stasi museum. read more

Interactive for the whole family. They have a house where you can try things out, such as the current music in the DDR. They also have the limo the Stasi used (Swedish Volvo) because their cars were so bad they had to find cars that worked made by at least a neutral country. It was great and since there is so much to touch, feel and see, adults and kids had a blast. Could have stayed longer. read more

Hands on History!! They did a fantastic job presenting life in both East and West Germany during the occupation of East Germany. There were so many wonderful displays and even a small house you could walk through. They had phones you could listen to stories on throughout the museum and a car that the kids or adults could pretend to drive with a video screen in the front of the car that allowed you to act like you were really driving. We stayed much longer than I thought we would, but it gave all of us a great history lesson and allowed us to see and touch many of the items that were around during occupied Germany. It's definitely worth the time and the money. read more

I've visited this small museum twice now with different people. It's a a fabulous interactive display of everyday life in East Germany during the time of division. Cars to play in and game shows to take part in, lots of hidden drawers and compartments, things to watch and listen to. The only reason I don't give this museum 5 stars is because both times I have found it quite claustrophobic, the first time I had to sit on the floor for a little while and the second time I had to leave for fresh air. Perhaps better air conditioning or something would help. The gift shop is a small but very good area too with everyday items on sale. read more

Fascinating museum and very well done for the small space that it occupies. If you are a visitor to Berlin and want to see what life was like in the DDR, this museum will provide you with a wonderful primer. Everything is hands-on from the apartment to the cars to the school books and grocery store items which makes this museum a perfect place to take the kids. read more

Nice museum that beings insight to how people lived during that time! A must see while in Berlin!

One of the worst museums I've been to.... I'm very interested in the history between the East/West but this place is tiny and pretty boring. On a positive side, the tickets are pretty cheap but I rather pay more and go to the Checkpoint Charlie museum. read more

if you or your family have little or no knowledge of the GDR, then you might find the museum educating. If you are familiar with the overall history of East Germany & have limited time to spent in museums, you may want to give it a pass. + Offers (very) basic information on life in the GDR - Heavily crowded and cramped - The layout is a quite inconvenient read more

Loved the hands-on concept. You can touch anything, take a look at a pupils notebook, get into a taxi, etc. The museum covers pretty much every notion you expect to see. Quite overcrowded though. read more

If you would like to take some time off from the museum island and dedicate to something that many still do not know (due to its position not so easily reachable - but just outside the museum island), I would suggest you to visit the DDR museum. The museum is very interesting, especially if you know something about the DDR (GDR in English) and would like to know more. The entrance fee is not expensive for the quality and amount of things you will be able to look, get to know, read and touch... The museum is totally interactive, fun for kids, and explains in detail through photos, original footages, clothes, and obviously informative leaflets, everything that chacracterized life in the GDR, from rules and means of transport. read more

The museum gives you a hands-on experience of what GDR-life was feeling like - with lots of interative experiences, audio, video and memorabilia. A stunning documentation and evocation of life in times of the DDR. Amusing & scary. read more

This was an extremely disappointing experience. The place is tiny, ridiculously crowded, the displays are in no way authentic or interesting, and I really don't understand all the good reviews here. I wouldn't recommend the DDR museum to anyone. In Prague there's a "museum" of Communism, which at first looks cheesy and like a sham, but after two hours there my Wife and I were enthralled and charmed. It was full of authentic memorabilia, well-displayed and informative placards, and decent replicas. Most importantly it was set up in a manner that allowed for the orderly movement of huge amounts of people through it without discomfort or irritation. This is what we would have expected from a German establishment which clearly has far more funds to work with than its Czech counterpart. Go see that place and understand why the DDR museum is a complete waste. It's a shame, really. read more

The DDR Museum will give you a terrific insight into the lives those living in the GDR. It's a highly interactive museum, and includes some clever exhibits including the car which you can drive via a simulator, and the small apartment with functioning TV (and filled with drawers of information). Watching the short film about housing is also very enlightening. Around 3pm the museum was full of school children, however by 5pm it was clearing out and I could revisit the sections of the museum I had skipped due to the crowds. read more

The best museum I have ever been to. Interesting, informative and interactive. So much to do, not expensive, recommended.