Contents: introduction

If you wanted to see the actual guard’s booth that was used at Checkpoint Charlie, don’t go to Friedrichstraße, but head to the Allied Museum in Zehlendorf. The museum looks at what life was like in the Western half of the divided city after the Second World War, when it was occupied by the Americans, British and French, right up to when the Allies withdrew in 1994. Located in a former US Army cinema, near what used to the be headquarters of the US Army in Berlin, the Allied Museum has a wealth of intriguing exhibits, including a segment of an American and British spy tunnel used to listen to Soviet communications, and a magnificent RAF Hastings plane used in the Cold War-era airlift, in response to the Soviet Union blocking supply routes to West Berlin.
Address: Clayallee 135, Zehlendorf 14195

17. Currywurst Museum

Okay, this one’s a little bit naff, but who can resist a novelty lifesize sausage? Not us. The museum is, of course, dedicated to Berlin’s iconic street food dish, which consists of diced sausage smothered in a curried sauce and served with chips. In the museum you’ll learn about how the dish was invented in the 1940s and what ingredients go into making this beloved snack, before tasting it for yourself whilst sitting on a sofa shaped like – you guessed it – a giant sausage.
Address: Schützenstrasse 20, Mitte 101117

18. Ramones Museum

Founded in 2005, this museum attracts fans of the iconic, influential New York rock band from far and wide. It’s the only one of its kind and displays over 1000 original artefacts from The Ramones, spanning the band’s career from 1974 to 1996, and including posters, unpublished photos, signed memorabilia, stage clothing, instruments, handwritten letters, song lyrics, and unusual merchandise. Afterwards, you can invest in a cool Ramones T-shirt in the gift shop.
Address: Oberbaumstraße 5, Kreuzberg 10997

19. Computer Games Museum

The museum opened in 2011 with over 300 exhibits that take you from the origins of the video game right up to its astounding, ongoing development into virtual reality and beyond. This is a wonderful museum, and the best bit is, you can play computer games old and new, including arcade machines of Donkey Kong, Asteroids and Space Invaders.

Address: Karl-Marx-Allee 93a, Friedrichshain 10243

20. Märkisches Museum

Located on the banks of the Spree, this is an exhibition of artefacts related to the culture and history of the city, with a permanent exhibit, ‘Here is Berlin!’, where you can stroll through the streets and districts of Berlin and experience how Berlin has changed over the course of several centuries.
Address: Am Köllnischen Park 5, Mitte 10179