The Altes Museum, the Old Museum, is the oldest building on Museum Island and arguably the most beautiful. Designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel and opened in 1830, it was conceived as a public temple to art, and it looks the part: a long Ionic colonnade of eighteen columns faces the Lustgarten, with a wide staircase behind it and, inside, a circular rotunda modelled on the Pantheon in Rome. Walking up that staircase and looking back across the lawn to the cathedral and the Humboldt Forum is one of the great quiet moments in central Berlin, and it costs nothing extra. Today the building holds the Antikensammlung, the collection of classical antiquities of the State Museums. The main floor is devoted to Greek art, with vases, sculpture, jewellery and small bronzes, and to the Etruscans and Romans, including portrait busts and a notable group of Roman imperial sculpture. The scale suits a first visit: this is a museum you can see properly in an hour or two, without the fatigue that the larger complexes bring. Because the collection is arranged around the rotunda and a handful of well-lit galleries, it is easy to follow even without a guide. A single-museum ticket is the right choice if you want just this building, while the Museum Island day ticket makes more sense if you plan to add the Neues Museum, the Alte Nationalgalerie or the Bode-Museum on the same day.
How to fit it into a day: the Altes Museum pairs naturally with the Neues Museum next door, since one covers the classical Mediterranean and the other holds the Egyptian collection and Nefertiti. If you are short of time, choose one of the two rather than rushing both.
Arriving at opening on a weekday gives you the rotunda almost to yourself, and the light in the morning suits the pale marble and the columns outside. Most of the State Museums keep Tuesday-to-Sunday hours and close on Mondays, so check the museum's calendar when you plan your week.
What to look for
Spend your time with the Greek vases and the Roman portraits, where the labels are generous and the pieces repay a close look, and do not skip the rotunda itself, where statues stand in a ring beneath the coffered dome. The upper floor often hosts changing exhibitions drawn from the collections, so look at what is on for your dates. Audio guides are available at the entrance, and bags and large coats go in the lockers, since the galleries do not allow big bags.
Around the museum
The Lustgarten in front is a good place to sit between visits, with the dome of Berlin Cathedral on one side and the old royal palace, now the Humboldt Forum, across the road. Hackescher Markt and its courtyards are a short walk away for lunch, and the Spree riverbank paths lead to the cruise piers. This is an easy, civilised half-day for adults, couples and anyone who enjoys ancient art; children who like myths and gods usually engage with the vases and statues, but there is no hands-on element.
What to expect
The experience
Self-guided visit to the collection of Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities, arranged around Schinkel's domed rotunda, with audio guides available at the entrance.
Best time
Weekday mornings at opening. Mondays are usually closed, and weekend afternoons are the busiest.
How long
One to two hours; a little longer with the audio guide and a temporary exhibition.
Tips
Look back at the Lustgarten from the staircase. Use the lockers for bags. Choose between this and the Neues Museum if time is short. Check the calendar for closures.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Anyone curious about ancient Greece and Rome, and lovers of fine neoclassical architecture.
- Families
- Fine for older children who like myths and statues; younger ones may tire quickly.
- Couples
- A calm, beautiful setting for an unhurried hour, followed by a walk along the river.
- Pair with
- The Neues Museum, Berlin Cathedral and a Spree cruise from the nearby piers.
- Time needed
- One to two hours.
Good questions
What is in the Altes Museum?+
The antiquities collection of the State Museums, with Greek vases, sculpture and jewellery, Etruscan objects and Roman portraits and sculpture, arranged around a Pantheon-style rotunda.
Who designed the Altes Museum?+
Karl Friedrich Schinkel designed it, and it opened in 1830 as the first museum building on what became Museum Island.
Should I buy a single ticket or the Museum Island day ticket?+
A single-museum ticket suits you if you only want this building. If you plan to visit two or more museums on Museum Island on the same day, the day ticket is usually the better choice.
Is the Altes Museum open on Mondays?+
Most State Museums close on Mondays and open Tuesday to Sunday, but hours change for holidays and special exhibitions, so check the museum's calendar before you go.
How long do I need?+
Plan one to two hours. It is compact enough to combine with another Museum Island museum in the same morning.
