Subject related visits
Potsdam
The residence of the Prussian, and later German, monarchy until 1918. Potsdam is an ideal place to find out about the importance of Prussia in the unification of Germany in the 19th century, as well as playing an important role in later German history.
Topography of Terror
The history of Nazism contains important lessons not only for students' exams but also for their broader development. By documenting the destructive effects of Nazi state terror, students gain a humanising insight into the history of totalitarianism in Germany, and its implications for the world today.
Jewish Museum
A remarkable building documenting the history of the Jewish community in Germany throughout its history, not only displaying but asking visitors to think about the trauma and effects of the Holocaust.
Sachsenhausen
The concentration camp at Sachsenhausen, uniquely, was placed on the edge of Berlin. Students can see the horrifying conditions in which inmates were forced to live, observe the artefacts that victims left behind and consider how Germans have tried to come to terms with their recent history.
Checkpoint Charlie
After the trauma of Nazism came the trauma of the division of Germany, represented graphically by the Berlin Wall. This is an ideal place to see the origins and development of the Cold War, its historical impact on Europe and reflect on the future of European unification.
East Side Gallery
This section of the former Berlin Wall has been decorated by artists from all over the world to serve as a memorial for freedom.
Plotzensee Memorial Centre
This memorial centre commemorates the victims of the national socialist judiciary that died between 1933 and 1945. Execution chambers and exhibition rooms provide an insight into the reasons behind the deaths and the ideology behind the German government.
Reichstag
Constructed over 100 years ago the Reichstag is the seat of the German Bundestag/federal government and is an incredibly popular and impressive place to visit. The controversial glass dome has been rebuilt and is now a major Berlin attraction as are the talks and tours which describe the history of Berlin and the building itself. Talks are only available when parliament isn't sitting.
Museum of Communication
This building was originally constructed as the world's first ever postal museum and has since grown to encapsulate all forms of modern communication including: robotic interaction, the development of the telephone and a computer gallery. An audio guided visit will enable groups to listen and learn as they discover more about German communication through the ages.
House of Wannsee Conference
Exhibitions and educational programmes help school groups to put the original conference notes, documents and letters into historical context. You must book early!
Story of Berlin
This interactive, walk-through exhibition is perfect for groups studying European history as it focuses on an 800 year journey through Germany's capital city. Guided tours include a visit to an original nuclear bomb shelter housed under the exhibition.
Stasi Prison
Post WWII and the infamous Ministry for State Security are enforcing an effective and brutal political repression. History groups can view the rooms, surveillance technology and original décor of the Stasi Headquarters.
DDR Museum
East Germany wasn't all border checkpoints and secret police there were many other important aspects too. School groups will find out more about the economic, social and recreational elements of life on the other side of the wall.
Memorial to German Resistance
On the 20th July 1944 several German officers attempted to assassinate Hitler. This 3-storey museum is located on the spot where the officers were executed and chronicles the history of Nazi Germany and commemorates those who resisted.
Olympic Stadium
The stadium was originally built for the Summer Olympic Games in 1936. Guided tours can be taken on foot or by bike and give a complete history of the site and the surrounding area.
Further highlights
- Art & Art History
Bauhaus Archiv
For students interested in how art can be functional too, a visit to the Bauhaus Archiv shows how 20th century artists and designers created art in a variety of media to be functional and produced on a mass scale.
Charlottenburg Palace
In addition to the largest collection of 18th century art outside France, the Charlottenburg is also home to many works by Picasso among others, allowing students to see a wide range of artistic works in magnificent surroundings.
Berlinische Galerie
A collection of art from 1870s Berlin to the present, ranging from photographs to paintings to architecture, the Berlinische Galerie shows the wide selection of art that has been inspired by Berlin.
Jewish Museum
German Jewish culture is overshadowed by the Holocaust. While this event and the emotions and themes it evokes are enormous, students can also see how Jews in Germany have responded to the range of experiences of their history, through their art.
Hamburger Bahnhof/ Museum fur Gegenwart
The focus is on contemporary art of the 20th Century including significant works by: Andy Warhol, Cy Twombly, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, Anselm Kiefer and Joseph Beuys
Berliner Fersehturm
Experience some spectacular views of Berlin from the top of the television tower some 200 metres above the ground.
Bröhan-Museum
The collection mainly focuses upon decorative arts and painting, especially in Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Functionalism from1889-1939.
Sammlung Berggruen Museum
This museum showcases classic modern art from the likes of Picasso, Klee, Cezanne, Matisse, Van Gogh and Laurens
Gemäldegalerie
See one of the world's leading collections of European art from the 13th to18th centuries including masterpieces from: Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt and Johannes Vermeer.
Kathe Kollwitz Museum
The works of Käthe Kollwitz were donated to the people of Berlin and this permanent exhibition presents a broad spectrum of her sketches, paintings, sculptures and prints. This is a must for anyone studying naturalism, expressionism and early 20th century society and its relationship to art.
Old National Gallery
The gallery itself, which is located on Museum Island, is an impressive artistic structure and is shaped like a Roman temple. Inside exhibition pieces range from Classicism to Impressionism and include one of the largest collections of 19th century sculptures and paintings anywhere in Germany.
Pergamon Museum
Situated on Museum Island, and consisting of building parts transported from Turkey, the Pergamon Museum is dedicated to displaying antiquities and artwork from the Middle East and Islam. Among the pieces on display are: the Pergamon Altar, market gate at Miletus, the Ishtar Gate and the Mshatta façade.
Museuminsel
An island on the River Spree that is home to some of Berlin's primary museums including the Pergamon Museum with its enormous collection of Classical and Islamic antiquities and the Old National Gallery displaying works of art from the 19th Century.
- Business & Economics
BMW Motorbikes
The role and viability of manufacturing in national economies can be explored through visiting this factory. It is also an ideal opportunity to see the systems and processes students have studied in the classroom in action, helping them to understand their importance in the real world.
Axel Springer Publishing
Germany's largest publishing house shows students how the organisation, technology and resources of businesses, combined with creative talent, work to fire imaginations around the country, while turning a profit.
Berliner Pilsner
See how this German beer is produced and how it adapts to and shapes the tastes of its target market through using modern technological processes to make and maintain the quality of its product.
- Other
Theatre visit
German literature is blessed with many famous writers, whose influence on the German way of life has been hugely significant. Students can not only develop their comprehension but gain an important insight into German culture.
Shopping Trip
Students can best practice their German language skills out on the streets, chatting to shopkeepers and staff, asking questions and testing themselves in everyday situations.
