Pergamon & Neues Museum

Time

10 am

Duration

3 hours

Meeting Point

At the bottom of the steps of the James Simon Gallery, on Bodestraße, Museum Island

Prices

Adults

€79.90

Children

aged 17 and under

€59.90

Required Transport Ticket

No public transport ticket required

Highlights

  • See the world-renowned bust of Nefertiti – the “Mona Lisa of Ancient Egypt”. At 3,300 years old, this iconic and beloved work is a real showstopper!
  • Admire the Market Gate of Miletus – spanning 29m, this is the largest reconstruction of a Hellenistic monument in any museum in the world.
  • Walk through Nebuchadnezzar II’s Ishtar Gate, the impressive processional way into the ancient city of Babylon.
  • Take in the remarkable exterior of the Neues Museum (New Museum). Reworked by architect David Chipperfield, it is a masterpiece of modern architecture, seamlessly incorporating the museum’s original features.
  • Contemplate the oldest Roman mummies on display anywhere in the world. Discovered in Egypt, they date back some 2,000 years.

Starting Point

Meet your guide at the bottom of the steps to the James Simon Gallery, on Bodestraße, Museum Island.

Description

Berlin’s world-famous Museum Island complex, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an artistic and cultural treasure trove. Our exclusive skip-the-line tour takes you through two of its remarkable and internationally renowned museums, the Pergamon and the Neues Museum, on an exploration of the wonders of Ancient Egypt, Babylon, Greece and Rome – in the company of one of our specialist guides.

Master architect David Chipperfield’s spectacular reconstruction of the Neues Museum forms a fitting backdrop for the abundance of precious artefacts it houses – not least the astonishing bust of Nefertiti, an icon of beauty that dates back 3,300 years to the time of the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs.

Amid the awe-inspiring splendour of the Pergamon Museum, prepare to be wowed by the magnificent Market Gate of Miletus, built around 2,000 years ago during the reigns of Roman emperors Trajan and Hadrian. You can also follow in the footsteps of such illustrious historical figures as Cyrus the Great and Alexander the Great by walking through the Ishtar Gate, the grandest passageway to the inner city of Babylon. Built under Nebuchadnezzar II in the 6th century BCE, it is considered to be one of the original Seven Wonders of the World.

Hosted by one of Insider Tour’s expert guides, not only will you have the opportunity to admire the architecture of the museums and their impressive exhibits, you will also be taking a journey through history and gaining a critical understanding of the collections’ relationship to Berlin, past and present.

Be sure to check availability for this tour now, as the museum will be completely closed to visitors from October 2023 for a number of years for extensive renovation work.

Finishing Point

The tour concludes back at the meeting point outside the James Simon Gallery.

Insider Route

This itinerary is intended to give you a general idea of our route on this tour. You can expect to see and hear stories about all of these sites, as well as many more! Please be aware that the route is subject to change on any given day, should unforeseen circumstances arise.

  1. Meeting Point – at the bottom of the steps of the James Simon Gallery
  2. Pergamon Museum – ancient artefacts from Mesopotamia to the Near East
  3. Neues Museum – ancient exhibits from Egypt, Rome and Greece
  4. The Ishtar Gate – Nebuchadnezzar II’s main entrance into the Biblical city of Babylon
  5. Egyptian artefacts dating back 4,500 years, including a splendid bust of female pharaoh Hatshepsut
  6. Sarcophagi from Egypt, Rome and across Europe
  7. The Berlin Gold Hat – one of only four in existence worldwide
  8. The Market Gate of Miletus – an incredible example of 2,000-year-old Roman architecture
  9. The Nefertiti Bust – an artistic treasure dating from the 14th century BCE
  10. The architecture of the museums, both inside and outside, is a highlight in itself.

Insider Reviews

Very knowledgeable guide.

Very knowledgeable guide. Highly recommended! If you are coming with a stroller, inform them ahead. Kinnn... Aug. '23

Yes I would recommend this tour

Guide is knowledgable and passionate about his chosen field of archeology. He left us interested in learning and seeing more. S. Miller May '23

It was very interesting and rewarding

Gabriella was a fantastic guide and knew the gallery well. She was very passionate about the collection. Anyone who has an interest in these antiquities should do the tour. It was very interesting and rewarding. James D. June '23

Excellent museums tour

Great tour of the Pergamon and New Museums. This was the highlight of our visit to Berlin. Our guide did an excellent job. TPK July '23

Pergamon

Our guide was excellent. Passionate and knowledgeable, with a smattering of jokes (some even good!). Both of the museums beautifully set out and fascinating. UnrulyKid June '23

World class museums great guide

Our tour guide clearly has an exceptional knowledge and enthusiasm for this ancient art . He had an engaging personality and kept us enthralled . We learned and saw so many things that we would not have experienced on our own. We cannot recommend this tour highly enough! Tbone83 June '23

Knowledgeable guide with great personality

The guide fully informed us on all aspects of the structure of the museums and the artifacts within the museum. Great history lesson and you can tell he had real passion for his job. Bob D. May '23

Very interesting

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and managed to turn the whole experience into an exciting adventure! Instead of aimlesslessly wandering around 4 museums we were guided to the most interesting displays in these extremely well curated Museums. Well worth the money! Craeny X. July '23

Great tour

Our guide has a background in archeology which made this tour so interesting and informative. His use of narrative involved us deeply in our journey through the museums. He spoke so respectively of history and culture. F.X. July '23