German Historical Museum

The national museum of German history occupies one of Berlin's grandest buildings, the Zeughaus, a baroque former arsenal on the boulevard Unter den Linden. It presents the sweep of German history within a European context and is among the most visited museums in the capital.

The Zeughaus itself is a monument. Completed in 1730, it is the oldest surviving structure on Unter den Linden and a masterwork of Prussian baroque, its inner courtyard lined with the celebrated masks of dying warriors sculpted by Andreas Schlüter. Behind it stands a striking modern extension by the Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei, a glass-and-stone pavilion with a dramatic spiral staircase, used for temporary exhibitions.

The permanent display spans two thousand years, from the Roman era through the medieval empire, the Reformation, Prussia's rise, the world wars, division and reunification. Rather than glorifying the past, it approaches difficult chapters, including the Nazi period and the Holocaust, with a critical and educational eye, using original objects, artworks, uniforms, documents and everyday items to tell the story.

The location could hardly be more central. The museum stands between Museum Island and the Bebelplatz, a short walk from the cathedral, the Humboldt Forum and the Brandenburg Gate, so it fits naturally into a day of sightseeing along the historic core. The permanent exhibition has periodically closed for renovation while special shows continue in the Pei building, so checking current opening arrangements before arriving is wise. A cafe and bookshop round out a visit that offers one of the clearest overviews of the German past available anywhere. Regular film screenings, lectures and a research library extend the museum's role beyond exhibitions into a wider centre for the study of national history.