How to Visit Art Galleries in Berlin
Berlin is widely acknowledged as the cultural capital of Europe and some would say that its well on its way to being the cultural capital of the world. Berlin has an ever increasing number of art galleries and artist run collective spaces and their museums are world class. Many well-known contemporary artists maintain a studio in Berlin not only because of the low rents, but also because to be in tune with what is happening in Berlin is to be aware of the artistic zeitgeist. There are several arts districts in Berlin, each with their own unique flavor.
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Instructions
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Purchase a map. Berlin is easy to get around if you can plot your coordinates!
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Rent or borrow a bicycle. Fahhradstation has several rental locations throughout the city, including Mitte (Berlin’s downtown district). If you are visiting Berlin, the best way to get around is via bicycle. There are well-appointed bike lanes (with their own stoplights) on the sidewalks and streets. A bicycle will help you get between different art pockets. Once you are in an arts district, you can lock up your bike and walk from gallery to gallery.
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Pedal over to Mitte, the central arts district in Berlin. The venerable K-W museum is located on Augustraße, a street home to many museums. K-W was founded in the 90s in an old mayonnaise factory by German curator Klaus Biesenbach and a group of fellow art enthusiasts. It is responsible for kick-starting the Mitte scene, so any exploration of art in Berlin should start here. After taking in the current exhibition, grab a gallery guide from the information desk. It will give you the addresses of other galleries in the city. Auguststraße is home to many high quality contemporary art galleries, including Eigen + Art and Galerie Gurken. You can walk in either direction from the museum and easily spend an hour looking at art.
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Head north to Brunnenstraße. Brunnenstraße is the home of the young, hip galleries in Berlin. Here you will find more artist collectives and emerging galleries. Keep an eye out for Goff + Rosenthal, Nice&Fit, and Curator’s Without Borders. Begin or end your Brunnenstraße outing with a cup of coffee at Sankt-Oberhalz, a charming café with wi-fi access.
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Visit the Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin’s premiere contemporary art museum, to finish of your day of art appreciation. The Hamburger Bahnhof is also located on the outskirts of Mitte.
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Tips & Warnings
Pick up fliers and pamphlets from galleries as you make your rounds. Many galleries cross-promote each other's shows.
Galleries tend to be closed on Monday and Tuesday. The weekend is the best time to go on a gallery crawl.
