One maybe two cities for a museum nerd

Madrid is the city for museums.

Berlin and Munich

Amsterdam

Berlin has the Neues and Pergamon Museums, full of ancient art and even big pieces of architecture. But the Pergamon Altar is getting restored and can't be visited now. Check on when it will reopen. The rest of that museum, and the Neues, should give you plenty to appreciate. Berlin's Gemaldegalerie art museum is good but not on a par with the Louvre, Prado, et al. The German History Museum is closed until, I think, 2025.

I haven't been to Dresden but I understand that it has one or two outstanding art museums. It's a short train ride from Berlin -- but probably too far for a satisfying day trip.

Madrid and Amsterdam are great destinations, including great museums, but not in Germany -- as you may know! ;-)

If you are interested in pre-1800 German art the Prado has an outstanding collection. It was good to be a Hapsburg Emperor. The Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna also has amazing collections. Franz Josef funded huge expeditions to Egypt and other areas. Again, a Hapsburg Emperor. Both cities have amazing churches and architecture although rather heavy on the Baroque reimagining of earlier eras.

If you don't mind the distance between the two, although easily done by night train, I suggest Berlin and Munich too.

If not Munich, then Berlin and Dresden.

If you prefer a small town instead in Germany for the churches, especially in North Germany, then I heartily recommend Lüneburg, ie, the Johanniskirche, the Nickolaikirche. In Eutin/Holstein is the Schloss Eutin as well as the church that survived the war intact.

For the original architecture, undamaged, spared from destruction and not rebuilt after the war, I would recommend Celle, north of Hannover and Flensburg/Schleswig.

Three absolute Museum cities for me are Munich and above all , Dresden . And Vienna , without a doubt.

Berlin is clearly the best choice. Cologne has many excellent museums, and some Roman monuments as well. Why only Germany? Are you sure a railpass is your cheapest option?

If you don't mind the distance between the two, although easily done
by night train, I suggest Berlin and Munich too.

Or around 4:30 by day train. It is pretty easy to travel between the cities.

Hi, Cerastez

If you decide on Berlin, here is a quick glance at the State Museums of Berlin:

https://www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/all-places-at-a-glance/

I like the Alte Nationalgalerie, for example, but their mostly 19th-century collection may be too contemporary for your stated interests. From a very quick glance, the collections of the Altes Museum and, as some have rightly mentioned, the Pergamon may offer what you seek.

If the Bauhaus arts and architectural movement go your way, then consider Weimar as the 1st capital, their recently opened Bauhaus museum, and the Bauhaus university campus; Dessau as the 2nd capital with its headquarters building, Masters' houses, and the Törten neighbourhood; and Berlin as the short-lived 3rd capital with its present-day Bauhaus Archiv/Museum of Design at its temporary location (because the Archiv building is undergoing renovation.)

A wave south on BC-99/I-5 to you in Bellingham!

Hi,

If you do decide on going to Munich, I suggest for the art the Alte Pinakothek and the Neue Pinakothek. My first time in Munich I visited the Alte Pinakothek.

Berlin’s Neues and Pergamon Museums (the Pergamon has the incredible “Gates of Ishtar” from Babylon) can fill an entire day. Museum Island can fill an entire week.
Have a great Trip!

Berlin has over 170 museums (list with links) plus exhibitions and private collections. Additionally the cities around Berlin such as Potsdam host museums, UNESCO world culture heritages and historical places as well.

So just book half a year and enjoy daily museum visits. ;-)

I also wondered about this: "Are you sure a railpass is your cheapest option?"

By "Eurail trip" do you mean you plan to travel by train? Or do you mean that you will be using a Eurail pass?

If you do decide on Berlin, make time for Potsdam too, in reference to being "a sucker for castles" Numerous chateaux (Schloesser) are in Potsdam, aside from Schloss Sanssouci . , eg, Schloss Babelsberg, Neues Palais, Schloss Charlottenhof (this one I've not seen yet).