Natural History Museum (Museum für Naturkunde)

The Basics

Discover the development of life on Earth as you walk through various sections of the Wilhelmian building. See the bones of Tristan Otto, a gigantic Tyrannosaurus rex—one of the world’s best-preserved T. rex skeletons as well as the world’s largest mounted dinosaur skeleton, standing at 43.5 feet (13.27 meters) tall. Explore the origins of our universe in the Cosmos and Solar System section and more than 3,000 specimens that detail the evolution process.

You can purchase a Berlin Pass for free entry to the Natural History Museum as well as 50 other attractions in the city over three consecutive days.

Things to Know Before You Go

• The Natural History Museum is a must-visit for natural history buffs, especially dinosaur lovers.

• Visitors generally spend two hours exploring the various exhibitions.

• Audio guides are available for the entire museum in German and English, and for a large portion of the museum in French, Polish, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, and Japanese.

• Guided tours on an array of topics are available in German and English for a small fee.

• The museum is fully accessible to wheelchair users. Equipment is available to assist visually- and hearing-impaired visitors to experience the museum.

How to Get There

The Natural History Museum is located in Berlin’s Mitte district. Take the U6 metro line or tram number M5, M8, M10, or M12 to the Naturkundemuseum stop. Alternatively, take the S5 or S7 overground line to Hauptbahnhof or Nordbahnhof.

When to Get There

The museum is open from 9:30am to 6pm Tuesday through Friday, and 10am to 6pm on weekends and public holidays; it is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. One of Berlin’s most popular museums, it sees a lot of action in the early afternoon. For the most contemplative experience, visit in the morning before exploring the rest of central Berlin.

The Wet Collection Wing

Of the 30 million objects on display at the Natural History Museum, a large portion is on display in the Wet Collection Wing. More than one million specimens from all animals groups are preserved in 276,000 glass jars with a mixture of 70 percent alcohol and 30 percent water. This method of conservation prevents decay and allows scientists to conduct further research.