Free museums in Berlin: the complete list and the days you pay nothing

Berlin has more free museums and memorials than most European capitals, and some are among the most interesting in the city. Others, paid the rest of the time, open free one day a month or for under-18s. This guide sorts the free entries, the free days and the pitfalls, with the hours checked in October 2026. For more ideas that cost nothing, see also our free activities in Berlin.

Museums and memorials that are always free

The Topography of Terror

The Topography of Terror and its stretch of the Wall

The Topography of Terror traces the Nazi persecution apparatus on the former site of the Gestapo and the SS. Entry is free every day from 10:00 to 20:00; a free audio guide is offered in 22 languages. A stretch of the Wall about 200 metres long runs along the site.

The German Resistance Memorial Center

The German Resistance Memorial Center (Bendlerblock) is free Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00 and at weekends from 10:00 to 18:00. It traces the different forms of resistance to Nazism, including the 20 July 1944 plot.

The Tränenpalast

The Tränenpalast, the former departure hall of Friedrichstraße station, offers a free exhibition on the division of Germany, Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00 and at weekends from 10:00 to 18:00. Closed on Monday.

The Futurium

The Futurium, near the central station, is an interactive exhibition on possible futures. It is entirely free; only some workshops and guided tours are paid. Open every day from 10:00 to 18:00 except Tuesday (closed), with late opening until 20:00 on Thursday.

The Berlin Wall Memorial

The Berlin Wall Memorial, on Bernauer Straße, is a 1.4 km site. The outdoor area is open every day from 8:00 to 22:00 and the visitor centre Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, at no charge.

Urban Nation

Urban Nation, the street art museum in Schöneberg, does not charge for entry: donations are voluntary at the desk. It is closed on Monday, open from 10:00 to 18:00 on Tuesday and Wednesday, then from 12:00 to 20:00 Thursday to Sunday.

The Allied Museum

The Allied Museum, in Dahlem, tells the story of the airlift and the Cold War. Admission is free; it opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00. A move to Tempelhof is planned: check before you go.

Other free memorials

The Sachsenhausen memorial, in Oranienburg, and the House of the Wannsee Conference are also free to enter; any guided tours are generally paid. The dome of the Reichstag can be visited free of charge with advance registration.

Paid museums with a free day

Neue Nationalgalerie: free entry without a ticket on the first Thursday of the month from 16:00 to 20:00 (Art4All programme); next dates 5 November and 3 December 2026. See the page on the Neue Nationalgalerie.
Berlinische Galerie: no free day, but the reduced rate of €7 applies to everyone on the first Wednesday of the month. See the Berlinische Galerie.
Berlin State Museums (Gemäldegalerie, Kunstgewerbemuseum, Neues Museum…): free for under-18s. The free Sunday of the State Museums was abolished at the end of 2024.

So you don't get caught out

"Free" does not mean no booking everywhere: some places ask for an online slot, notably the Reichstag. Also check closing days: Monday for most state museums, Tuesday for the Futurium. Temporary exhibitions, audio guides and guided tours can be paid even in a free venue.

If you want to pay less without hunting for free days, compare with the Museumspass Berlin. It costs €32 for three days and covers the big museums of Museum Island and the Kulturforum.

A free itinerary for one day

In the morning, the Topography of Terror then the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, heading down towards Potsdamer Platz. In the afternoon, the German Resistance Memorial Center, then the Tränenpalast or the Futurium depending on your energy. In the evening, a walk along Bernauer Straße. All these visits are ticket-free.