This group of museums at the end of an Island in the Spree are one of the premier attractions of Berlin. The reason for its inclusion on the list is the actual institutions and buildings, these being one of the first purpose built areas to display exhibits to the wider public. However the collections are pretty impressive and the exhibits of the Pergamon museum are one of the highlights of the city.

When I first visited the Pergamon I was wowed by the exhibits; the Ishtar gate was the thing that stuck with me most and really got me interested in Mesopotamia, it has been something I have enjoyed investigating at museums throughout the world, but my interest stared here, so for me the museums certainly did what they were designed to do and ignite curiosity.

The buildings themselves are actually quite interesting, especially Schinkel’s Altes Museum, which inspired many subsequent German architects especially Mies Van der Rohe. Hidden behind the flat façade is an impressive Rotunda, which you are free to wander into even if you don’t want to pay to see the exhibits themselves.

As with most of Berlin there are major building works going on both on the museums themselves and on the former site of the Palast der Republik which is gradually being rebuilt as Stadtschloss, it will be interesting to see how this works out, Berlin has been very brave and successful with its modern buildings and I wonder if rebuilding a Baroque palace will work or just seem like pastiche.

All in all I enjoyed Berlin more on my second visit discovering its artier side in Prenzlauer Berg plus the highly unique and thoroughly recommended Propeller Island Hotel. The museum island really should not be missed if you are visiting Berlin, the area is nice for a stroll in the heart of the city and the exhibitions are world class.