Europe's coolest capital: these highlights will make Berlin a top destination in 2025 and 2026

Berlin, August 2025 According to the latest "Europe’s Best Cities" study, Berlin is once again one of the three most attractive metropolises in Europe. This is because 36 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the German capital is a dynamic creative metropolis where past, present and future merge. In 2025 and 2026, Berlin will once again present itself as a vibrant stage for extraordinary experiences: with international cultural highlights, iconic architecture, new moments of pleasure at a height of over 200 metres and premieres in the entertainment and sports sectors.

200 years of Museum Island Berlin: an anniversary for cultural history 
The world-famous Museum Island in the heart of Berlin celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2025 - and invites you to a multi-year anniversary programme full of highlights. In summer, the Kolonnadenhof is transformed into the atmospheric Kolonnaden Bar with a cultural programme. Since July, the Collection of Classical Antiquities has been showing the exhibition "Foundation Stone Antiquity. Berlin's first museum", followed by the show "Myths in Stone" from November. The anniversary series spans five years and focuses on a different one of the five museums each year: in 2026, the Alte Nationalgalerie will take centre stage. One of the highlights will be the partial reopening of the Pergamonmuseum in spring 2027, when the northern wing will be accessible again. The Neues Museum will follow in 2028, the Bode Museum in 2029 and the entire island will celebrate its grand finale in 2030. Fact sheet.

Another highlight on Museum Island is the reopening of the Hohenzollern crypt in Berlin Cathedral: after six years of renovation, the 1,500 square metre crypt in Berlin Cathedral will be open to the public again from the beginning of 2026. With 91 Hohenzollern coffins, it is considered Germany's most important dynastic burial vault. New features include a permanent exhibition, a café and a museum shop.

Premiere of Berlin Freedom Week in the city of freedom 
From 8 to 15 November 2025, Berlin - the city of freedom - invites you to the first Berlin Freedom Week  a new, city-wide week of events dedicated to freedom and democratic exchange. To mark the 36th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the capital will become an international stage for committed voices, courageous ideas and shared visions. Conferences, cultural events, workshops and interactive formats for all generations are planned - open to Berliners and international guests alike. Berlin Freedom Week creates space for reflection, dialogue and encounters - in a place that stands for the value of freedom like no other.

Art highlights 2026: Modernism and Impressionism
In 2026, Berlin will be culturally dominated by a "French Summer": in cooperation with the Centre Pompidou, the Neue Nationalgalerie (20 March to 9 August 2026) will be showing the first major exhibition of works by the important sculptor Constantin Brancusi in Germany for over 50 years - including a spectacular reconstruction of his Parisian studio. The Alte Nationalgalerie (22 May to 27 September 2026) is dedicating a major special exhibition to the legendary art dealer Paul Cassirer (1871-1926) with over 100 masterpieces of French Impressionism, including works by Monet, Degas, Cézanne and van Gogh.  
From 1 to 3 May 2026, Gallery Weekend Berlin invites international art lovers to the capital - over 50 galleries open their doors and present contemporary positions in a unique atmosphere. Interactive exhibitions and immersive experiences are a new trend in Berlin: Around 20 museums are the perfect place for selfies and modern art experiences.

20 years "UNESCO City of Design": Berlin celebrates design 
2026 Berlin celebrates its 20th anniversary as "UNESCO City of Design" - a title the capital has held since 2006. With more than 30,000 creative companies, Berlin is an internationally important design location. Sustainability, urban tech, UX/UI, fashion and creative technologies characterise the scene, as do public innovation spaces such as CityLab Berlin. Festivals such as the Berlin Design Week or the DMY Design Festival reflect the capital's diversity. Berlin is also home to numerous design museums, street art spots and tours through creative neighbourhoods. Events are planned for the anniversary year 2026 that will bring Berlin's creative power to life. Details: designcities.net/city/berlin/. Berlin's museums for design, film and photography are listed here.

Reopening of the Bauhaus Archive: Icon of modernism 
After extensive refurbishment and a spectacular extension, the Bauhaus-Archiv / Museum für Gestaltung on Lützowufer in Berlin-Tiergarten will reopen its doors in 2026. With the world's largest collection on the history of the Bauhaus, the new building will display the ideas and designs of one of the most influential design and architecture schools of the 20th century - from Walter Gropius to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe - on around 2,000 square metres (previously it was 700 square metres). The new glass museum tower is 20 metres high and offers a contemporary platform for interactive exhibitions and educational programmes. Comprehensive information on the buildings of Berlin Modernism and their history can be found on the visitBerlin website.

Top sights and anniversaries in 2025
In September, the East Side Gallery celebrates its 35th anniversary as the longest open-air gallery in the world. The Gendarmenmarkt, one of the capital's most beautiful historic squares, invites you to stroll around again after a two-year break in construction. The internationally renowned exhibition centre C/O Berlin turns 25 and the Berlinische Galerie, the museum for modern art, photography and architecture, turns 50 - with exhibitions on Dada pioneer Raoul Hausmann. All top exhibitions here.

Archaeology to experience: Berlin has a new museum
The PETRI Berlin archaeology lab enriches the cultural offerings in Berlin's historic centre and invites visitors to interactively discover the origins of the capital - with current research, hands-on formats and exhibitions on the historical foundations of the city. One highlight is the "Archaeological Window" in the basement, which makes original remains of the Wall visible. More new openings here.

Indulgence and glamour at the highest level 
"Sphere by Tim Raue" in the TV tower: Berlin's most famous star chef opened his new restaurant at a height of 207 metres in June 2025 - with a panoramic view in the TV tower's revolving restaurant. More restaurant news  here and tips from Berlin's top chefs here. 
Berlin dances - at the Hip Hop Ball in the Rotes Rathaus: on 15 November 2025, the Rotes Rathaus will become a ball location with a mix of hip-hop and classical music, exclusive, extravagant, international.

Entertainment in a class of its own: Cirque du Soleil and new Grand Show at Friedrichstadt-Palast
From November 2025, Cirque du Soleil will be performing its first permanent show in Europe at the theatre on Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, presenting a mixture of artistry and magic with the premiere of "Alizé". Berlin was chosen as the ideal permanent location because of its cosmopolitanism and international appeal.
Friedrichstadt-Palast Berlin will present its new Grand Show "Blinded by Delight" from autumn 2025. The show takes the audience into a dream world full of happiness and questions the courage to live dreams. With over 100 artists on the world's largest theatre stage, the show promises a special and glamorous experience. The world premiere will take place on 8 October 2025.  

International sporting highlight: NFL premiere in Berlin
American football in the German capital: on 9 November 2025, a regular NFL game will take place in Berlin's Olympic Stadium for the first time - a milestone for fans and the sports metropolis of Berlin.

Growth in height and depth
Berlin has a new skyscraper: the  Estrel Tower will be completed at the end of 2026 and will rise into the sky as Germany's tallest hotel tower - a spectacular location for hotel accommodation or meetings with 45 floors. All hotel news here.
A completely different highlight is being created in Berlin-Lichtenberg: the "Ocean Berlin" marine park will open in 2026 as a new adventure space centred around the ocean habitat. With a 7.5 million litre predatory fish tank and innovative educational offers, environmental education will become an experience - and Berlin will be one attraction richer. 

Gaming meets society 
The House of Games will be a new centre for gaming, e-sports and digital culture in Friedrichshain in early 2026. The centre will offer over 15,000 square metres of space for exhibitions, conferences, events and interactive experiences - making it a new hotspot for the international gaming community. Berlin is thus strengthening its role as a centre of innovation at the interface between the creative industries, technology and society.

visitBerlin has compiled a list of the most important events in Berlin in 2025 at visitBerlin.de/en/berlin-2025-the-main-events. Berlin's new openingshere.