Altes Museum

The Altes Museum (Old Museum) on Berlin's Museum Island is Karl Friedrich Schinkel's neoclassical masterpiece, facing the Lustgarten, and the oldest building on the island. Behind an 87-meter colonnade you will find the Antikensammlung, the antiquities collection with Greek, Etruscan, and Roman art. If you are deciding which Museum Island museum is worth your time for ancient art and architecture, this one pairs a world-class collection with one of Berlin's most beautiful interiors, a domed rotunda inspired by the Pantheon in Rome.

Schinkel's museum for the king

Schinkel built the museum for King Friedrich Wilhelm III between 1825 and 1830. The opening is usually dated August 3, 1830, though some sources say April 1, 1830. The building is about 87 meters (285 feet) long, 55 meters wide, and roughly 20 meters high. The front hall has 18 fluted Ionic columns and 18 sandstone eagles, and at the center rises the rotunda, modeled on the Pantheon: 23 meters (75 feet) high, with a gallery supported by 20 Corinthian columns.

The museum was bombed in 1941 and 1943 and burned on May 8, 1945, after an ammunition wagon exploded outside. It was rebuilt between 1951 and 1966, with the exterior reconstructed largely faithfully. Today it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Museum Island.

What to see

• The rotunda: a domed hall with statues of gods, one of Berlin's most impressive museum rooms
• Antikensammlung: Greek, Etruscan, and Roman art; the collection has been in the building since 1904
• The colonnade and Lustgarten: the steps and portico offer a view of Berlin Cathedral and the TV Tower
• Murals: Peter von Cornelius painted wall pictures from 1841 to about 1870; only two of Schinkel's preliminary drawings survive
• Granite bowl: the huge bowl in front of the entrance is a popular photo spot

Planning your visit

Allow one to two hours. The museum had about 215,000 visitors in 2023. It is busier on weekends and quietest on weekday mornings. The Lustgarten lawn outside is a pleasant place to rest in good weather.

Tickets and opening hours (as of October 2026)

According to the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, the museum is closed on Mondays, open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Holiday hours differ. The Museum Island ticket costs 24 euros and is valid for one day for all houses on the island. Visitors under 18 enter free but need a free ticket; students, trainees, and certain other groups pay half price. According to Museumsportal Berlin, a single admission costs 14 euros (7 euros reduced), but other sources give different amounts, so check smb.museum. Time-slot tickets are needed only for major special exhibitions.

Getting there, access and renovation

The address is Am Lustgarten, 10178 Berlin. Take the U-Bahn to Museumsinsel, the S-Bahn to Friedrichstraße or Hackescher Markt, or tram and bus lines nearby. It is about a 15-minute walk from Alexanderplatz. A single ticket in Berlin's AB fare zone covers the trip, and the Deutschlandticket is valid on local transport. Parking in Mitte is difficult, so skip the car.

The operator describes the museum as wheelchair accessible: barrier-free access is via the service entrance at the Lustgarten, where you report to the porter.

In August 2026, the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation announced that the Altes Museum needs a fundamental renovation because of cracks and slow sinking. Work is to follow the Pergamon Museum project, which runs until about 2037. No closure has been announced. Check the museum website for updates.

Nearby

• Berlin Cathedral and the Lustgarten right across the square
• Neues Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie, Pergamon Museum, and Bode Museum on Museum Island
• Humboldt Forum in the rebuilt Berlin Palace
• Alexanderplatz and the TV Tower within walking distance