Compact, engaging and interactive, the permanent exhibit at this local history museum zeroes in on historic milestones and key protagonists that shaped Berlin's evolution from the medieval trading village of Berlin-Cölln into today’s European metropolis. Displays tackle questions such as what gives Berlin its special character and how its residents impact the city and vice versa. Period rooms like the Gothic Hall with its displays of medieval religious art, the Guild Hall and the Weapons Hall provide atmospheric eye candy.
Curators also mount changing exhibits on the ground floor that shine the spotlight on specific themes of Berlin's often turbulent past. The museum itself is housed in an imposing mash-up of parts of historic buildings from the surrounding region, including a bishop's palace tower and the Gothic gables of a church. A copy of the Roland statue, a medieval symbol of civic liberty and freedom, stands guard at the entrance. Note that the museum is set to close for an extended restoration in 2021.
