The required time-window tickets is making me uncertain and nervous about how I am to buy my tickets. What I would like to do is see Bode Museum, then grab lunch (since I also am doing something else that morning), then visit Pergamon Museum, and finally Neus. But from the Germany guidebook, it's not clear I can do this. 1.) If wanted to stay in one of the museums longer than I had initially purchased the tickets for, I wouldn't be able to do so, is this correct? 2.) How should I purchase the tickets to fit my schedule?
We were there last week. Only the Neues museum required a reserved entry time.
I can only answer #1. A timed window ticket is for an entry time, you can stay as long as you want until closing.
I was at these museums last May, you may want to look into the Museum Pass which lets you skip the line at all the museums and as I remember you don't need to make a time/day reservation, just show the pass.
The time slots for the Pergamon and Neues museum only refer to entry time. You can stay there as long as you want. Actually, if you intend on visiting three museums in one day, you should do the following: - buy a "Museum Island" area ticket - make time-specific reservations on both museums (Bode doesn't require them) selecting the option of "free entrance" (paying nothing, since you'll have the area tickets and only need time reservation) This all being said, your museum visiting schedule is too much fast-paced. The museums are huge, especially Pergamon, unless you have very specific interests and know in advance which rooms and/or special exhibitions you want to visit, your plan is too ambitious.
We were just in Berlin. Bought the 3-day museum card, and walked into the Pergamon and all the other Museum Island museums without time reservations. We actually devoted a whole day to the Pergamon, breaking for about an hour for lunch. I can't imagine doing it and two others and doing something else in the same day.
We were in Berlin this May and had the museum card as well. For whatever reason, during our visit the timed entry at the Pergamon Museum was not being enforced. Perhaps when you arrive either you or your hotel could call to inquire and plan accordingly. Have a great trip.
Pergamon Museum and Neues Museum have limits on the number of people entering the facilities per time slot. If there is still room for more people on any given slot, they will just usher you in, if you have other form of access (such as a Museum 3-day Card, or an Area Ticket for the Museum Insel).