(GERMANY OUT) Germany - Hamburg - : Museum of Art "Alte Hamburger Kunsthalle" (Photo by Cuveland/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

ullstein bild via Getty Images

Hamburger Kunsthalle

Top choice in Altstadt


A treasure trove of art from the Renaissance to the present day, the Kunsthalle spans two buildings linked by an underground passage. The main building houses works ranging from medieval portraiture to 20th-century classics, such as Klee and Kokoschka. There’s also a memorable room of 19th-century landscapes by Caspar David Friedrich. Its stark white modern cube, the Galerie der Gegenwart, showcases contemporary German artists.

Look for Rebecca Horn, Georg Baselitz and Gerhard Richter, alongside international stars including David Hockney, Jeff Koons and Barbara Kruger. The view out of the gallery’s huge picture windows is also worthy of framing.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Altstadt attractions

1. Wochenmarkt

0.34 MILES

This weekly eco-market (think organic farmers' produce) adds a little life to Friday afternoons in the heart of St Georg. It sometimes shifts to Friday…

2. Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe

0.38 MILES

The Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe is lots of fun. Its vast collection of sculpture, furniture, fashion, jewellery, posters, porcelain, musical instruments…

3. Hansaplatz Fountain

0.4 MILES

The centerpiece of Hansaplatz square. Completed in 1878, the fountain shows important figures in Hamburg's past, including Emperor Constantine the Great…

4. Galerie Commeter

0.4 MILES

Founded in 1821, privately run Galerie Commeter is Hamburg's oldest gallery, with a reliable offering of contemporary painting, graphics, sculpture and…

5. Chilehaus

0.44 MILES

One of Hamburg's most beautiful buildings is the crowning gem of the new Unesco-anointed Kontorhaus District. The brown-brick 1924 Chilehaus is shaped…

6. Chocoversum

0.49 MILES

Who needs an excuse to fall in love with chocolate? This fun museum involves a 90-minute guided tour through the world of chocolate and even lets you…

7. Galerie Herold

0.49 MILES

This small but rewarding private gallery is worth a look if you're in the area. Its focus is on northern German expressionism.

8. Alsterarkaden

0.5 MILES

The elegant Renaissance-style arcades of the Alsterarkaden shelter upscale shops and cafes alongside the Alsterfleet canal. This is ground zero for…