The Martin-Gropius-Bau is one of Berlin's most beautiful exhibition venues: a neo-Renaissance palace of brick and terracotta, built between 1877 and 1881 by Martin Gropius and Heino Schmieden to house a museum of decorative arts. Martin Gropius was the great-uncle of Walter Gropius, the founder of the Bauhaus. Badly damaged in the war, the building stood in ruins along the Wall before being restored and reopened as an exhibition venue. It has no permanent collection: you come for the major temporary exhibitions of contemporary art, photography and history, arranged around a central atrium under a glass roof. The museum is on Niederkirchnerstraße in Kreuzberg, next to the Topography of Terror and a few minutes from Checkpoint Charlie and Potsdamer Platz. It is closed on Tuesdays. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours per exhibition.
Highlights
The neo-Renaissance façade
Three levels of red brick, terracotta friezes and medallions dedicated to the decorative arts make the building a monument in its own right.
The atrium and its glass roof
The great arcaded hall, open to two floors of galleries, is the heart of the venue: mosaic floors, dark columns, natural light falling from above. It also serves as a stage for installations made for the space.
The skylight and zenithal light
Look up under the glass structure: the iron-and-glass architecture makes the visit an experience in itself, even between two exhibition rooms.
The autumn 2026 exhibitions
In October 2026 the programme includes "Gabriele Stötzer: Dabei sein und nicht schweigen" (until 6 December 2026), "Kreuzberg: Kunst und Migration seit 1960" (10 September 2026 to 17 January 2027) and the exhibition on Christoph Schlingensief, "Es ist nicht mehr mein Problem, macht eure Scheiße alleine" (9 October 2026 to 17 January 2027).
Practical info
Tips
- A standard ticket costs €15, reduced €10; admission is free for under-18s and for people receiving social benefits. One ticket gives access to all current exhibitions (price noted in October 2026: it may vary by exhibition, so check the official website before coming). You can also book in advance online, notably on GetYourGuide or through the official visitBerlin ticket shop. It is closed on Tuesdays, and on 24 and 31 December. For a day on the city's history, follow with the free Topography of Terror, then read our route in the footsteps of the Berlin Wall. For more ideas in bad weather, see Berlin on a rainy day. With a Museum Pass, check whether the current exhibitions are included: see the Berlin Museum Pass.
How to get there
Niederkirchnerstraße 7, 10963 Berlin (Kreuzberg). S-Bahn S1, S2 and S25, Anhalter Bahnhof station (5 minutes on foot); U-Bahn U2, Potsdamer Platz station, or U6, Kochstraße / Checkpoint Charlie station. On foot, allow about ten minutes from Potsdamer Platz and slightly less from Checkpoint Charlie.
Opening hours
Nearby
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