German Historical Museum

The Deutsches Historisches Museum (DHM) is Germany's national museum of its own history, right in the historic center of Berlin on the grand boulevard Unter den Linden. Its main building is the Zeughaus, the old arsenal begun in 1695 partly to designs by Andreas Schlüter, making it the oldest surviving building on the street. The museum itself was founded on October 28, 1987 for Berlin's 750th anniversary, and it has been run as a public foundation since 2008.

Directly behind the Zeughaus stands the glass annex designed by the world-famous architect Ieoh Ming Pei and completed in 2003. Across four floors and roughly 29,000 square feet (2,700 square meters), the Pei building hosts rotating special exhibitions devoted to major themes and figures in German and European history. The annex's sweeping glass staircase has become a landmark of modern Berlin architecture in its own right and is worth seeing on its own.

One thing to know before you plan: the Baroque Zeughaus, with the large permanent exhibition "German History in Images and Artifacts," has been closed since June 2021 for a comprehensive renovation, and as of 2026 no reopening date had been announced. The Pei building with its temporary exhibitions is open and running normally. Check the official website to see which exhibitions are on, and budget roughly two to three hours depending on the program.

The Zeughaus: from arsenal to history museum

The Zeughaus was originally exactly what its name says: an arsenal for the cannons, muskets and war trophies of the Brandenburg-Prussian state. It was later converted into a hall of fame for the Prussian army. Its best-known feature is the inner courtyard, the Schlüterhof, with Andreas Schlüter’s 22 masks of dying warriors. The heads show no triumphant heroes but faces in their death throes, a strikingly graphic motif for a military building.

After the Second World War, East Germany used the rebuilt building for its Museum für Deutsche Geschichte (Museum of German History). After reunification, the Deutsches Historisches Museum, founded in West Berlin in 1987, took over the building and its collections. The result is an institution whose holdings range from medieval armor and broadsheets and posters to everyday objects from both German states.

Where the renovation stands

The Zeughaus remains closed. While the building work continues, the museum is developing a new permanent exhibition. The original target of completion at the end of 2025 is long gone, and the museum’s management has publicly doubted whether the building can reopen before the early 2030s (as of October 2026). There is no firm date. If you’re traveling specifically for the big permanent exhibition, be aware that it can’t be seen at the moment.

What to expect in the Pei building

Exhibitions are running in the Pei building, which has its own entrance on the street Hinter dem Gießhaus. The shows change several times a year and are usually large in scale, with many original objects from the museum’s own collection plus loans. Pay attention to the architecture as you walk around: the glass stair tower, the way light is handled and the narrow glimpses of the Zeughaus are part of the experience. Pei worked a lot with natural light, so the rooms feel quite different on a sunny day than under a gray sky.

The museum also runs the Zeughauskino, a cinema showing film series on historical and social themes. Whether it is screening during the building work is listed in the program on the website.

Planning your visit

• Getting there: U5 to Museumsinsel, from where it’s just a few steps. Alternatively, take the U5 to Unter den Linden or the S-Bahn to Hackescher Markt or Friedrichstraße, then walk about ten minutes.
• How long: A large special exhibition usually takes two to three hours. Smaller cabinet shows can be done in an hour.
• Tickets and hours: Prices and opening times depend on the current program. Check them directly on dhm.de before you go.
• Best time: Weekday mornings are quieter than weekends. In the first days after an opening the rooms are often packed.

Tips and common mistakes

A common misunderstanding: many visitors stand in front of the wrapped or scaffolded Zeughaus and turn away, thinking the whole museum is closed. The entrance to the Pei building is at the back, on the side facing the Kupfergraben canal. If you’re coming with children, check in advance whether the current exhibition has a family program, since not every subject suits younger visitors.

It’s worth combining the visit with the neighboring Neue Wache, which the Deutsches Historisches Museum also looks after. The memorial is free to enter and stands right next to the Zeughaus.

Nearby

Immediately next door are the Neue Wache and Humboldt University, with the Berlin State Opera across the street. Over the Schlossbrücke bridge you reach Museum Island and Berlin Cathedral in a few minutes. The Gendarmenmarkt is about a ten-minute walk. For more on the area, see our guide to Mitte.