Around Charlottenburg Palace: the plan at a glance
Charlottenburg Palace stands on the Spandauer Damm, and the two main streets around it concentrate the visits: the Spandauer Damm on the cour d'honneur side, and the Schloßstraße, which runs south. Almost everything can be done on foot, with less than 10 minutes between two sites:
- the palace gardens and the mausoleum, behind the building;
- the Käthe Kollwitz Museum, in the former palace theatre;
- the Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg (Surrealism), Schloßstraße 70;
- the Museum Berggruen, Schloßstraße 1, closed for renovation.
The palace and gardens
The Old Palace and the Neuer Flügel are open Tuesday to Sunday; each wing costs €12 and the combined charlottenburg+ ticket €19 (prices and hours are detailed in the palace page). The garden is free: it is easy to spend an hour walking along the parterre, the carp pond and the Spree. At the far end of the park, Queen Louise's mausoleum is open from April to October (€3, reduced €2). Schinkel's New Pavilion opens only on Sundays, from April to October (€8, reduced €6); the Belvedere is closed until further notice.
The Käthe Kollwitz Museum
The Käthe Kollwitz Museum is a few steps from the cour d'honneur. It shows the Berlin artist's drawings, lithographs and sculptures on poverty, war and grief. It is open every day from 11:00 to 18:00; admission is €8 (reduced €5), free for under-18s. It is the shortest and easiest visit to add to the palace.
The Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg
On the Schloßstraße, the Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg is the Nationalgalerie annex devoted to Surrealism and its precursors. It is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 18:00 (closed Monday and Tuesday). Admission is €10 (reduced €5), free for under-18s, and online tickets are released four weeks in advance. There is a café and a bookshop on site. The building is wheelchair accessible.
The Museum Berggruen: closed, but worth seeing from outside
The Museum Berggruen, home to Picasso, Klee, Matisse and Giacometti, closed on 5 September 2022 for a complete renovation. No reopening date is confirmed on the official website at the time of writing: do not count on it in your plans, but the domed building, right opposite the palace, can be admired from the outside.
A 2-to-3-hour loop without doubling back
- Reach the palace by bus M45 or 109 (or on foot from the U-Bahn) and start with the Old Palace or the Neuer Flügel.
- Stop at the Käthe Kollwitz Museum, next door.
- Take a break in the garden, then visit the mausoleum if you come between April and October.
- Leave by the Schloßstraße: look at the Museum Berggruen, then go into the Scharf-Gerstenberg, a little further on.
- Finish with a coffee or lunch near the Schloßstraße or Sophie-Charlotte-Platz.
For a full half-day, put the palace in the morning, the Scharf-Gerstenberg in the afternoon and keep the gardens for the end.
Practical information
Getting there
Bus M45, 109 or 309 to the stops Schloss Charlottenburg or Luisenplatz/Schloss Charlottenburg. By U-Bahn, the U7 (Richard-Wagner-Platz) or the U2 (Sophie-Charlotte-Platz); by S-Bahn, Westend station on the Ringbahn. All these trips work with an AB ticket: see our guide to transport in Berlin.
Summary
| Place | Address | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottenburg Palace | Spandauer Damm 10-22 | Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-17:30 (April-October) | €12 per wing, combined €19 |
| Käthe Kollwitz Museum | Spandauer Damm 10 | Every day 11:00-18:00 | €8, reduced €5 |
| Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg | Schloßstraße 70 | Wednesday-Sunday 11:00-18:00 | €10, reduced €5 |
| Museum Berggruen | Schloßstraße 1 | Closed for renovation | Not applicable |
When to come
Come between April and October to enjoy the garden and the mausoleum, and on a Sunday if you want to see the New Pavilion. On Mondays the palace and the Scharf-Gerstenberg are closed; only the Käthe Kollwitz Museum stays open.
Going further
For the rest of the district, read our guide to Charlottenburg, and to compare passes, WelcomeCard or Museumspass. If you like palaces, see also castles and palaces in Berlin.
