Neues Museum

The 10 Best Museums in Berlin

"The classical Neues Museum is home to several collections from the Ancient World, from the Paleolithic period to the Middle Ages—but it’s best known as Berlin’s unofficial Egyptian museum: It showcases art, artifacts, statues, vessels, manuscripts on papyrus, as well as magnificent burial chambers from Egypt dating from around 2500 BC. There are around 9,000 objects on view, but a few stars including the bust of Nefertiti, the ancient Berlin Green Head sculpture, and the Berlin Gold Hat—a ceremonial gold headdress stamped with celestial bodies—draw the crowds. The mummies in the basement are also a favorite. And the structure of the Neues itself is a testament to the damage levied upon Berlin during World War II bombings: the building was restructured from rubble in ways that visibly exhibit the repairs and the oldest parts of the neoclassical building, which dates back to 1859." - Jennifer Ceaser

Art and Culture in Berlin

"All five museums on the UNESCO Heritage Museum Island are worth visiting, but if you’re stuck for time, the Neues Museum is one of the most impressive. Opened in 1859, it was destroyed during World War Two and reopened in 2009. The restoration, courtesy of British architect David Chipperfield, is as alluring as the exhibits, thanks to a deft melding of old and new elements: repainted frescoes and preserved war damage amidst contemporary halls and displays. The iconic Bust of Nefertiti is the big draw, but there are three floors to explore that present a wealth of pre- and early history, as well as exhibits from classical antiquity." - MATADOR_NETWORK

"Neues Museum | New Museum Bombed to smithereens during World War II, the Neues Museum—inaugurated in 1855—reopened in 2009 following a slow and sensitive reconstruction by the office of British architect David Chipperfield; both the building and its inspiring contents are well worth the visit. The current structure, featuring delicately restored frescoes, beautifully renovated columns and doors, and deliberately preserved war damage, won the prestigious Mies van der Rohe Award in 2011. The museum's collections comprise thousands of ancient artifacts from the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection, the Museum of Prehistory and Early History, and the Collection of Classical Antiquities. Highlights include a3,300-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti, the famous Neanderthal skull from Le Moustier in France, and Heinrich Schliemann’s collection of antiquities from Troy."

Berlin Travel Guide by Rick Steves

"▲▲  Egyptian antiquities collection (on Museum Island) and proud home of the exquisite 3,000-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti." - Rick Steves' Europe

Where to Stay in Berlin When You Visit (Updated 2025)

"A UNESCO site, the Neues Museum houses rare Egyptian artifacts and is one of the must-see museums clustered on Spreeinsel." - Matthew Kepnes