Highlight in Berlin 2027: The Pergamon Museum Reopens

Berlin, May 2026 Berlin remains one of Europe’s most exciting cities. Major exhibitions, events, new festivals, and cultural highlights will shape the coming months. One of the biggest highlights will be the reopening of the Pergamon Museum in June 2027. 

The World Has Been Waiting: The Pergamon Museum Reopens on June 4, 2027
The most significant cultural moment in Berlin in 2027 will be the reopening of large sections of the Pergamon Museum on Berlin’s Museum Island. On 4 June 2027, the world-famous museum will once again welcome visitors for the first time in many years. This will also mark the return of public access to the iconic Pergamon Altar. The reopening will be a highlight of the celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of Museum Island Berlin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Europe’s most important cultural landmarks.

New Open Staircase at the Humboldt Forum
From summer 2027, a new open staircase at the Humboldt Forum will offer visitors and Berliners fresh perspectives of the River Spree and Museum Island. The 38-metre-wide staircase, featuring seating steps and a waterside balcony, will create a new urban meeting place in the heart of the historic city centre, where culture, architecture, and public space come together. 

World-Class Entertainment
Berlin has exciting new show highlights: Cirque du Soleil will present Alizé at Theater am Potsdamer Platz, its first permanent show in Europe. Combining breathtaking acrobatics, magic, and immersive storytelling, the production further strengthens Berlin’s reputation as an open-minded international entertainment capital.

At Friedrichstadt-Palast, audiences can experience a new Grand Show: Blinded by Delight. Featuring more than 100 performers, the production transports audiences into a dreamlike world on the largest theatre stage in the world. 

Art and Culture Highlights
One of Berlin’s current visitor magnets is Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart. The installation We Make Years Out of Hours, featuring 400,000 wooden blocks, invites visitors to build collaboratively until January 2027.

Another major exhibition follows shortly afterwards: to mark its 30th anniversary, Hamburger Bahnhof will present Tausendmal Berlin from June 12, 2026, to December 30, 2027. More than 70 works by over 50 international artists explore Berlin as a creative space shaped by history, politics, and global movements. Works by artists including Katharina Grosse, Mona Hatoum, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Katharina Sieverding, Thomas Struth, and Danh Vo reflect the city’s myth as a place of subculture and hedonism within an international context. 
 

The Neue Nationalgalerie, in cooperation with the Centre Pompidou, is presenting Germany’s first major retrospective of sculptor Constantin Brancusi in more than 50 years until August 9, including a partial reconstruction of his Paris studio. The Alte Nationalgalerie is dedicating a major special exhibition to art dealer Paul Cassirer until September 27, featuring more than 100 masterpieces of French Impressionism. 

In September, international artists, galleries, and creatives will gather in the German capital for Berlin Art Week. Musikfest Berlin will bring leading orchestras and international ensembles to the Philharmonie and other venues across the city. Interactive and immersive exhibitions are also becoming increasingly popular, with around 20 museums in Berlin offering settings for selfies and digital art experiences. In autumn, the Festival of Lights will once again transform the city into a spectacular open-air gallery of light art and projections. 

A major cultural highlight in 2026 was the reopening of the Hohenzollern Crypt at Berlin Cathedral. Following six years of restoration work, the 1,500-square-metre crypt containing 91 Hohenzollern coffins is once again accessible to the public. 

Another key project in Berlin’s museum landscape is looking ahead to 2027: the Bauhaus Archive / Museum of Design, whose listed building, dating from 1979, is currently undergoing extensive renovation and being expanded with a new extension. Around 2,000 square metres of additional exhibition space, along with a striking tower serving as a new entrance, will enhance the institution’s international profile. As part of Open Monument Day, initial glimpses are set to be revealed in September 2026, with the full reopening planned for 2027.

Berlin is also a magnet for major live events. In 2026, the city will welcome TFELD, a new large-scale festival on Tempelhofer Feld. On August 22, the one-day event will unite hip-hop, techno, and Berlin club culture across four stages, featuring national and international acts such as Paul Kalkbrenner, Ellen Allien, Pashanim, and Marlon Hoffstadt. International top acts are also expected in Berlin in summer 2027. Ed Sheeran will perform four concerts at Tempelhofer Feld, while pop star Harry Styles may also return to Berlin for several open-air shows, although dates have not yet been confirmed. 

Cinema News from Berlin
Berlin is one of Europe’s leading film and cinema capitals. The Deutsche Kinemathek has opened its first permanent exhibition at its new location in the E-Werk, exploring Berlin’s special role as a centre of international film and subculture. The iconic Kino International on Karl-Marx-Allee has celebrated its reopening following extensive heritage-sensitive renovation work. Meanwhile, arthouse cinema Arsenal has reopened at the Silent Green cultural quarter in Wedding, a former crematorium that is now one of Berlin’s most exciting cultural venues. 

Design and a New Marine Attraction
In 2026, Berlin celebrates 20 years as a UNESCO City of Design. More than 30,000 creative businesses make the city one of the world’s most exciting design hubs – from sustainable fashion to open innovation spaces such as CityLab Berlin. Festivals like Berlin Design Week, design museums, street art locations, and neighbourhood tours showcase the diversity of the scene. Special anniversary events are planned throughout the year, including DesignDays.Berlin in September, a new festival dedicated to interiors, architecture, and design. 

At the end of 2026, another major highlight is set to open: the Estrel Tower. The 45-storey skyscraper will become Germany’s tallest hotel tower and a spectacular destination for accommodation, work, conferences, and networking. It will include event and coworking spaces as well as a restaurant with a sky bar.  

More hotel news from Berlin

In the Lichtenberg district, “Ocean Berlin” is currently under development as a state-of-the-art marine experience centre. Its centrepiece will be a 7.5-million-litre predator tank. Innovative educational formats combining entertainment, learning, and marine conservation will add another major family attraction to Berlin’s tourism offering. The opening is planned for spring 2027. 

Experience History and Freedom in Berlin
Together with the Berlin Wall Foundation, Berlin will commemorate the 65th anniversary of the building of the Berlin Wall on 13 August 2026. Kulturprojekte Berlin is organising a series of citywide events around the anniversary date. The programme connects historically significant sites across the city and commemorates the division of Berlin. In addition, the capital is planning a major new exhibition on freedom at the Humboldt Forum. Inspired by the Peaceful Revolution of 1989, the exhibition explores questions of freedom today and in the future against the backdrop of Berlin and German history.

Following the successful premiere in November 2025, Berlin – the city of freedom – is planning another Berlin Freedom Week from November 7 to 14, 2026. This citywide event week will focus on freedom, democracy, and human rights. The highlight of the week will be the international Berlin Freedom Conference on November 10, 2026, bringing together influential voices from politics, civil society, and culture.

Marking the 37th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the German capital will once again become an international stage for courageous ideas, open dialogue, and shared visions. Cultural events, workshops, and interactive formats for all generations are planned, welcoming both Berliners and international visitors alike. Berlin Freedom Week creates space for dialogue and encounters in a city that stands like no other for the value of freedom. 

“What the FUNK!” – 100 Years of the Berlin Funkturm and Further Highlights of Berlin as a Trade Fair and Convention Metropolis
One of Berlin’s special anniversaries in 2026 will be the 100th birthday of the Berlin Funkturm radio tower at the exhibition grounds, whose appearance is often compared to the Eiffel Tower. Under the motto “What the FUNK!”, Messe Berlin will celebrate the 150-metre landmark with a large-scale light installation. Following extensive renovation work, the tower is once again open to visitors, offering a unique panoramic view across Berlin. 

Berlin’s trade fair and convention calendar is also packed. Key events include ILA Berlin from June 10 to 14, IFA Berlin from September 4 to 8, and the 30th edition of InnoTrans from September 22 to 25. This summer, the visitBerlin Berlin Convention Office will also celebrate its 25th anniversary. The organisation is dedicated to positioning the German capital as a sustainable and innovative convention destination. Comprehensive information for event organisers is available on its website. 

Sporting Moments
In 2026, Berlin will host the world elite of women’s basketball. From September 4 to 13, the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 will bring a major international sporting event to the city. Under the motto “Time for HER Game”, the world’s best female basketball players will compete for the world championship title at Uber Arena and Max-Schmeling-Halle – sending a strong signal in support of women’s sport. 

Berlin Recognised in International Rankings
Berlin has received numerous accolades in international rankings, confirming its appeal as a travel destination: the German capital ranks among the world’s top ten cities, is one of the four most sustainable metropolises globally, and ranks second among the best solo travel destinations. The Berlin Marathon’s reputation as Europe’s most popular marathon and Berlin’s status as a leading live music capital further underline the city’s international appeal.

You can find an overview of all the highlights for 2026/27 here, new openings in Berlin here, and news from Berlin’s hotel industry here.