Berggruen Museum

The Basics

Heinz Berggruen was born in Berlin and forced to emigrate from Germany in the 1930s due to his Jewish heritage. During his 60 years in exile, he became a major art dealer in Paris and finally returned to his hometown in 1996. His private art collection was given to Berlin as a gesture of reconciliation for his years in exile, and is now on permanent loan to the Berggruen Museum. Since Berggruen’s death in 2007, his family bequeathed even more pieces to the museum.

You can purchase a Berlin Pass or Berlin WelcomeCard for free entry to the Berggruen Museum along with many other city attractions.

Things to Know Before You Go

• The Berggruen Museum is a must-visit for lovers of Fauvist, neoimpressionist, and modern art.

• Visitors generally spend about 2.5 hours touring the museum.

• Audio guides are available in German and English for a small fee.

• The entire gallery and its elevators are accessible to wheelchair users.

How to Get There

The Berggruen Museum is located in Berlin’s Charlottenburg district, across the street from the Charlottenburg Palace. Take the S41, S42, and S46 overground train lines to the Westend station or the U7 underground line to Richard-Wagner-Platz, both a 10-minute walk from the museum. Alternatively, take city bus 309 or M45 to the Schloss Charlottenburg stop.

When to Get There

The Berggruen Museum is open from 10am to 6pm Tuesday through Friday and 11am to 6pm on weekends. As one of Berlin’s most popular art museums, and can get quite crowded, especially in the afternoon. For a relatively quiet experience, visit the gallery in the early morning before heading to the nearby Charlottenburg Palace.

Pablo Picasso and Berggruen

Pablo Picasso is one of the most influential modern artists of the 20th century and paved the way for many contemporary artists. The Berggruen Museum is home to more than 120 Picasso pieces, ranging from his early works as a teenager in Spain during the late 1800s through to his famous cubist period and until his death in 1973. Notable pieces on display include The Yellow Shirt (Dora Maar) andStill Life in Front of a Window**at Saint-Raphael.