Jewish Museum Berlin

The Jewish Museum Berlin in the Kreuzberg district is one of the most visited museums in the German capital and among the largest Jewish museums in Europe. It traces Jewish life in Germany from medieval communities to the present day, inside one of the most powerful pieces of contemporary architecture anywhere: Daniel Libeskind's zigzag building of zinc and voids. Best of all, admission to the core exhibition is free.

Why the Building Matters

You enter through the Kollegienhaus, a baroque palace from 1735 that once housed the Prussian supreme court. From there an underground passage leads into the Libeskind building. The architect won the design competition in 1989, and his structure was so striking that it opened for tours in 1999, while still completely empty. The museum officially opened on September 13, 2001, two days later than planned because of the 9/11 attacks.

Libeskind designed the building as an experience in itself. Three sloping corridors, the Axes of Continuity, Exile, and the Holocaust, lead to very different destinations. Empty concrete shafts called voids cut through every floor, representing the absence left by the murder of Europe's Jews.

Things to See

• Holocaust Tower: A cold, dark, unheated concrete space lit only by a narrow slit far above. Many visitors find it the most affecting moment of their visit.
• Garden of Exile: 49 concrete columns, each six meters tall and planted with Russian olive trees, stand on tilted ground that throws off your balance on purpose.
• Shalekhet (Fallen Leaves): In one of the voids, artist Menashe Kadishman spread more than 10,000 steel faces across the floor. Walking over them produces an unsettling metallic clatter.
• Core exhibition: "Jewish History and Present in Germany," opened in 2020, fills more than 3,500 square meters with over 1,000 objects, media stations, and art.
• ANOHA: The children's museum across the street centers on a giant wooden ark with 150 animal sculptures made from recycled materials.

Tickets and Opening Hours

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last admission 5 p.m.) and has been closed on Mondays since March 2026 (as of October 2026). Admission to the core exhibition, the Libeskind building, and ANOHA is free. Temporary exhibitions in the Old Building cost €10, reduced €4, with free entry for visitors under 18. Booking a free time-slot ticket online is recommended to avoid waiting, and there is a security check at the entrance.

The free JMB app works as an audio guide in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, and Russian, among others, so bring headphones. The café serves vegetarian and vegan Israeli food and accepts cards only.

How to Get to the Jewish Museum Berlin

The museum is at Lindenstrasse 9–14 in Kreuzberg, about 2 km south of the historic center. Take the U1 or U6 to Hallesches Tor or the U6 to Kochstrasse and walk about ten minutes, or take bus M29, M41, or 248, which stop closer. From Berlin Hauptbahnhof the trip takes around 20 to 25 minutes; from Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), allow about an hour. Public transportation is covered by the Deutschlandticket.

Is It Worth Visiting?

Absolutely. Even visitors with little interest in museums often call the Libeskind building one of the highlights of a Berlin trip. Plan at least three hours, or half a day if you want to see the full exhibition. The exhibition areas are wheelchair accessible, though the sloping ground in the Garden of Exile can be challenging. Some spaces, such as the Holocaust Tower, may be overwhelming for young children.

Nearby Attractions

• Checkpoint Charlie, about a ten-minute walk north
• Topography of Terror, roughly 15 minutes on foot, a natural companion visit
• Berlinische Galerie, the city museum of modern art, a few minutes away
• German Museum of Technology, around 20 minutes on foot
• Gendarmenmarkt, about 20 minutes north via Friedrichstrasse