Galleries and Contemporary Art in Berlin: Where to See Today's Art

The major institutions

Hamburger Bahnhof and Neue Nationalgalerie

The Hamburger Bahnhof, near the main station, is the state's major contemporary art museum; a ticket costs €16 (reduced €8) and it is closed on Monday. The Neue Nationalgalerie, at the Kulturforum, shows 20th-century art in Mies van der Rohe's building.

KW Institute for Contemporary Art

Housed in a former margarine factory at Auguststraße 69, the KW presents temporary exhibitions and hosts the Berlin Biennale. It is open from 11:00 to 19:00, except on Tuesday; admission is €10 (€6 reduced), free for under-18s.

Berlinische Galerie

The Berlinische Galerie, Alte Jakobstraße 124-128, is the museum of Berlin modern and contemporary art. It is open Wednesday to Monday from 10:00 to 18:00; a ticket costs €12 (reduced €7), and the reduced price applies to everyone on the first Wednesday of the month.

Photography: C/O Berlin and Helmut Newton

C/O Berlin is open every day from 11:00 to 20:00 (€15, reduced €8). The Museum of Photography, which houses the Helmut Newton Foundation, is open Tuesday to Sunday (€12, reduced €6); with a same-day ticket for one, the other gives €2 off.

The Boros Collection

The Boros Collection, contemporary art shown in a bunker, can only be visited with a guide and by reservation: book well in advance.

The gallery districts

Auguststraße, in the Spandauer Vorstadt of Mitte, is the street of galleries, with the KW and several neighbouring venues; the Hackesche Höfe are close by. Galleries there are generally free to enter and closed on Sunday and Monday: check each one's hours. Another gallery area lies in Charlottenburg, around the Ku'damm: see our guide to Charlottenburg.

The year's events

Gallery Weekend Berlin brings the city's galleries together every spring: the next edition will take place from 30 April to 2 May 2027. Berlin Art Week takes place every September; the 2026 edition ran from 9 to 13 September. For other events, see our guide to the best time to visit.

Practical information

How to plan your visit

Group by area: Hamburger Bahnhof and Neue Nationalgalerie in one day, Auguststraße and the KW in half a day, C/O and the Museum of Photography together near Zoologischer Garten station. To end the day, our Berlin at night guide offers ideas for the evening.

Summary

Prices checked in October 2026 on the official websites.

Going further

For other museums, read our selection of the best museums in Berlin.