Checkpoint Charlie Museum
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The Mauermuseum - Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, also known as the Checkpoint Charlie Museum, has been in its current location since 1963, just 2 years after the Berlin Wall was built. Its collection grew along with the wall, and many of the exhibits were gifts to the museum’s founders from friends on both sides of the wall, including those who made the dangerous decision to escape East Berlin. This unique museum has its own character which might not appeal to all guests, but a patient and interested visitor will find a lot to enjoy and will learn plenty about the wall, Berlin, and other struggles for freedom around the world.
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Some experiences and attractions are seasonal and might close temporarily.
Some experiences and attractions are seasonal and might close temporarily.
4 Tips for Visiting the Checkpoint Charlie Museum
Checkpoint Charlie Museum | Flickr: Olivier Bruchez CC BY-SA 2.0
1
Be there at the right timeThe museum can get extremely busy, so visit first thing or in the evening - it’s open until 10 pm, so you can save it for after dinner.
Checkpoint Charlie Museum | Flickr: Olivier Bruchez CC BY-SA 2.0
2
Avoid during hot weatherThere’s no air conditioning, and with the crowds, it can get unpleasantly hot inside. If you can, save your trip for a rainy day, or visit after the sun starts to set in summer to avoid the stickiest times of the day.
3
City Passes and DiscountsEntry to the Mauermuseum is free with the Berlin Pass, or you can get a discount of 25% on entry with the Belin Welcome Card. Entry is not included in the Berlin Museum Pass.
4
Get a mapMake sure you pick up a map of the museum or have the one from the museum’s website open on your phone while you visit. The layout isn’t very clearly signposted so you’ll need it to make sure you see all the exhibits you want to see and don’t keep doubling back on yourself.
House at Checkpoint Charlie: A Place Steeped in History
The museum is a few doors down from Checkpoint Charlie and has been since 1963. At that time it wasn’t just a collection of objects, but a site for activists and those seeking to help people escape to West Berlin, who could keep an eye on the border from the house’s windows.Exterior of the Mauermuseum | Ulmon: CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0
Mauermuseum (Checkpoint Charlie Museum)
Many of the exhibit’s items were donated by those who knew the founders during the time the wall was standing.
The Mauermuseum contains exhibits such as the map on which Winston Churchill drew the division of Germany in 1945, lists of the dead of Soviet internment camps, and accounts of the story of Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who also perished in Soviet custody, and of the popular uprising in the GDR in 1953.
The main exhibits focus on life in Berlin from 1961 (when the Berlin Wall was built) to the fall of the Berlin Wall and catalogue the stories of those who lived on either side, who escaped (or tried to escape), or who helped others cross from East to West. Some of the most interesting items on display are related to the ingenious ways in which people managed to escape, from modified cars to hot air balloons and a mini-submarine. There’s also a collection of political art, and exhibitions dedicated to NATO and other notable struggles for freedom - including the current conflict in Ukraine and the regime in North Korea.
Prepped car | Flickr: Olivier Bruchez CC BY-SA 2.0
Guided tours through the Checkpoint Charlie Museum
In addition to audio guides, the Checkpoint Charlie Museum offers a wide range of guided tours. For detailed information, the museum should be contacted directly.
Group tours, themed tours, and individual tours are available on a variety of topics, including the inventiveness of fugitives, nonviolent political struggle, and the wall around the GDR. The Mauermuseum also organizes eyewitness talks on request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the exhibits suitable for children?
Adults visiting with children will probably have to do a lot of explaining - the stories are told mostly via boards of text, and there’s a lot of information given. There are several items on display which kids might find extremely interesting (such as the hot air balloon and the car with a hidden compartment), so you might want to skip over some parts of the exhibits which are less engaging. Read more.
How long does it take to visit the museum?
There’s a lot inside the museum, and it takes upwards of 2 hours to see everything. If you’re only interested in the Cold War and history of the Berlin Wall you could see those sections in less than 2 hours, and if you’re planning to read every piece of information then you can easily spend 3 or 4 hours taking everything in. Read more.
General Information
Opening Hours:
Address:
Friedrichstrasse 43 - 45
10969 Berlin
How to get there:
Tickets:
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