Bode Museum

Explore the Bode Museum, where art meets history. Marvel at European sculptures, Byzantine art, and a vast collection of rare coins in a magnificent setting on Berlin’s Museum Island.

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Visitor's guide

Must-see highlights & key info

Pro tips to help you make a pick

Most visitors come in the morning, so arriving after 3pm allows you to explore the museum’s halls with fewer crowds, making it easier to admire sculptures up close.

Be sure to enter through the north side of Museum Island for a stunning view of the Bode Museum’s domed facade, especially at sunset when the Spree River reflects the building’s golden hues.

Some of the smaller galleries, especially in the Byzantine collection, can be easy to miss. Look for side rooms where unique pieces, like Byzantine ivory diptychs and gilded altarpieces, are tucked away.

Since only a fraction of the 500,000-coin collection is shown at once, the museum frequently rotates exhibits. Check with the staff to see if any rare or newly restored pieces are currently on display.

The museum requires a €1 or €2 coin to use the lockers for bags and coats. It’s refundable, but having one handy saves time at the entrance.

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About Bode Museum

The Bode Museum is home to one of the world’s finest sculpture collections, spanning from early Christianity to the 18th century. Highlights include Renaissance and Baroque sculptures, Byzantine icons, and an unparalleled Coin Cabinet with over 500,000 artifacts. The museum’s carefully curated galleries bring together European and Byzantine masterpieces, offering a unique perspective on artistic and cultural evolution.

Address

Am Kupfergraben 3, 10178 Berlin, Germany

Also known as

Emperor Frederick Museum

Year opened

1904

Founded by

Ernst Eberhard von Ihne

Visitors per year

250000

Expected wait time - Standard

30-60 mins (Peak), 0-30 mins (Off Peak)

The museum was initially called the Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum, after Emperor Wilhelm II’s father. It was renamed the Bode Museum in 1956 to honor its first curator, Wilhelm von Bode, who shaped its collections.

Unlike most museums, which group artworks by period or region, the Bode Museum was one of the first to curate sculptures, paintings, and decorative arts together to create a more immersive historical experience.

With over 500,000 coins, only a tiny fraction is on display at any time. The collection includes rare Roman gold medallions, Viking silver hoards, and experimental currency from different eras.

After Berlin was divided post-WWII, parts of the Bode Museum’s collection ended up in East and West Berlin. Some artworks were only reunited after German reunification in 1990, making it one of the last museums to restore its pre-war holdings.

Some masterpieces, like the early Renaissance Virgin and Child by Jacopo della Quercia, disappeared after the war. A few pieces have resurfaced over the years, including a stolen Italian sculpture found in the U.S. and returned in 2015.

Why visit Bode Museum?

World-class coin collection

Home to one of the world’s largest numismatic collections, the museum’s Coin Cabinet showcases over 500,000 coins and medals, spanning from ancient Greek drachmas to medieval talers and modern currencies, offering a rare glimpse into the evolution of global economies.

Byzantine & medieval art

The Bode Museum holds one of Europe’s most significant collections of Byzantine and medieval artworks, featuring golden mosaics, ivory carvings, and rare icons, including intricately detailed altarpieces that reveal the artistic and religious influences of the era.

Extensive sculpture displays

With sculptures from the Middle Ages to the 18th century, the museum houses masterpieces by Donatello, Bernini, and Riemenschneider, highlighting the evolution of European sculptural techniques in marble, bronze, and wood.

Iconic architecture

Designed by Ernst von Ihne and completed in 1904, the Bode Museum is known for its grand domed hall, sweeping staircases, and decorated interiors, making it a standout landmark on Berlin’s Museum Island.

Unique exhibitions

The Bode Museum regularly hosts special exhibitions, showcasing rare artworks like the Guelph Treasure, a collection of medieval goldsmith masterpieces, or Donatello’s terracotta reliefs, alongside international loans from institutions such as the Louvre and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. These exhibitions often highlight lesser-known artists, historical themes, or newly restored works.

Cultural heritage

The museum’s collections trace centuries of European artistic and cultural history, from Byzantine relics to Renaissance and Baroque sculptures, offering a deep dive into the artistic traditions that shaped Western civilization.