Cross-Curricular School Trip To Berlin

Explore Berlin’s rich culture and history on foot by taking a walking tour. The must see sights are the Brandenburg Gate (a former city gate, rebuilt in the late 18th century as a neoclassical triumphal arch), the Reichstag, Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe and Unter den Linden – the most well-known and grandest street in Berlin.

Beyond the border checkpoints and secret police, this museum displays the everyday economic, social and recreational elements of life on the other side of the wall. It is one of the most interactive museums in the world, where visitors take part and handle the exhibits. Fact: DDR Museum was nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award 2008

This 368 metre tower dominates the city skyline and is the tallest building in Germany. The Tower was built in the 1960’s by the East German Government not least to demonstrate the strength and efficiency of the socialist party system. The observation deck at 203 metres includes Berlin’s highest bar and there is a revolving restaurant at a height of 207 metres.

Two millennia of German Jewish history are on display, in two buildings – one of which is a new addition by architect Daniel Libeskind. German Jewish culture is overshadowed by the Holocaust –  an event that evokes the enormous emotions and themes. Students can see at The Jewish Museum how Jews in Germany have responded to their history through their art.

Checkpoint Charlie, the most well-known of the border crossings between East and West, is now one of Berlin’s most popular tourist attractions. At the Checkpoint Charlie Museum unique artefacts including many of the contraptions used by those who tried to cross illegally, and works inspired by the division, will vividly bring the past to life for your students.

East Berliners breached the Wall on 9 November 1989, and between February and June of 1990, 118 artists created unique works of art on its longest-remaining section. This open-air gallery serves as a memorial for freedom. One of the best-known works, by Russian artist Dmitri Vrubel, depicts Brezhnev and Honnecker (the former East German leader) kissing.

This former railway station serves as the Museum für Gegenwart(Museum for the Present), part of the Berlin National Gallery. It was set up after entrepreneur Erich Marx offered his private art collection to the city. The focus is on contemporary art of the 20th Century including works by Andy Warhol, Cy Twombly, Roy Lichtenstein and Joseph Beuys.

©️Maximilian Meisse

This outdoor museum and information centre is on the site of the former headquarters of the Gestapo and the SS. By finding out about 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. They learn important lessons not only for exams, but also for their broader development.

The Spy Museum explores the history of espionage and intelligence from antiquity to the present day. It covers WW1, WW11 and the Cold War using multi-media based technology and over 1,000 exhibits. An educational programme is available. Image by Scontrofrontale – CC BY-SA 4.0 – via Wikimedia Commons.

The Berlin Story Museum covers 800 year of Berlin history from Kings and Kaisers to modern Berlin. ‘Hitler: how could it happen’ is an extensive documentation centre covering the rise of the Nazi party, seizure of power, WWII, the history of the National Socialism, the Holocaust and the downfall.There is a model of Hitler‘s bunker. The museum and exhibition can be booked separately. Audio guides are provided for both excursions.

At the modern BLUEMAX theatre in Potsdamer Platz the Blue Man Group is a unique experience and a great evening entertainment for groups. Berlin is the only place in Europe where the show can be seen.  The show is an upbeat and exciting mix of live music, comedy and visual effects and non-verbal which makes it an ideal choice for international groups.

The Berlin Wall Memorial is an open-aired exhibition documenting the impact of a divided city and those who risked their lives for freedom in the Western Block. The Documentation Centre provides students with an historical overview of events in the build up to the construction of the Berlin Wall until the present day. Image by Ansgar Koreng, via Wikimedia Commons.

Experience Germany’s fascinating capital with an exciting quest. Students are encouraged to work in teams to collect keys and be in with a chance of unlocking the winning box. Berlin comes alive through a mix of treasure hunt-style clue solving and challenges with visits to historical sites including The Brandenburg Gate, Gendarmenmarkt, and The Holocaust Memorial. Enrichment or MFL version available.