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Planning my time in Berlin's Tränenpalast and Deutsches Historisches Museum

Posted by (Morgantown, WV, USA) on

Hello everyone - I would like to know how much time I should allot myself to visit Berlin's Tränenpalast. I have a particular interest in the history of divided Germany and I didn't make it here on my prior trip to Berlin. The exhibit doesn't appear to be that large, so I'm thinking 1-2 hours is sufficient. If you've been, I would appreciate your feedback.

Additionally, I plan to visit the Deutsches Historisches Museum and again would appreciate advice on how much time is reasonable to allocate. I hear it is vast and that one could spend an entire day, but I'm obviously trying to make the most of a very busy itinerary in Berlin. If I limit myself to floors/exhibits dealing with WWI to the present era, would 2-3 hours be wise?

Thanking you in advance!

Posted by
1 posts

Jennifer,
To visit the Tränenpalast 1.5 hrs is more than enough. The entrance is free and it's really worthwhile the visit. It shows you all the appalling situations Berliners had to bear to cross the other side. There is more to read than to see.

About DHM, you definitely have to select what wings you're interested to. You can't watch it all. I was particularly interested in the 20th Century wing and had to go two days!. DHM contains the whole history of Germany.

If you're interested in the everyday life of the GDR, you should pay a visit to the cultural center Kulturbrauerei (Schönhauser Allee 36) which shows the permanent exhibition "Alltag in der DDR", which is also free.

Posted by
14980 posts

Hi,

That's about right. You could almost spend the entire day seeing the DHM. My first time there I looked at every single exhibit, compared the explanations in German and English that are adjacent to each other and spent most of the day there before looking at the booking store. But since your focus is on 1914 to the present, two to three hours would do. If you read German, read the content of the political posters both democratic and anti-democratic (Communist and Nazi), well worth your time in tracking the history.

Posted by
19 posts

I share your interest in divided Berlin. Did you have an opportunity to visit Berlin when the wall was up? If not, I highly recommend the Assisi Panorama. I've been to Berlin dozens of times, including several times while the wall was up, yet I still found the Panorama to be moving and amazing. It's in the midst of the Checkpoint Charlie busy tourist area, but don't let that scare you off. It really gives one a feeling of what it was like looking over the wall from one side to the other.

Gute Reise!
Jude

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