Journey back to the DDR

Experience lively and interactive history based on sound scholarship. The permanent exhibition of the DDR Museum introduces its visitors to the history of everyday life in the DDR and the realities of life under Socialism. Visitors are invited to extend their knowledge of a wide range of topics through engaging directly with historical sources. We do not hide all of our exhibits behind glass, but encourage our visitors to touch, hold and interact with a range of objects and installations.

The highlights of the exhibition include a simulated drive in an original Trabant P601, an authentic reconstruction of a high-rise tower block flat with five rooms, countless interactive games suitable for young and old alike, the monumental fresco »In Praise of Communism« and the opportunity to interact with a range of artefacts. Visitors of all ages will want to join in the fun.

The largest DDR exhibition in Berlin

East German citizens were cut-off from the outside world by a wall and barbed wire and the Ministry of State Security exercised blanket surveillance. What was everyday life like in the DDR? Our exhibition answers this question with 47 topic areas spread out over an exhibition space of over 1000 m². The DDR Museum is the largest, most interactive and diverse exhibition focusing on the DDR in Berlin .

The exhibition is divided into three themed areas: »Public Life«; »State and Ideology« and »Life in a Tower Block«. Enter a fully furnished DDR flat and interact with an exhibition which takes a look behind the apparent idyll.

My Trabi – 26 Two-Stroke Stories

The new temporary exhibition »My Trabi - 26 Two-Stroke Stories« tells 26 exciting stories in small showcases about the Trabant 601, the most driven car in the DDR.

The number 26 runs through the history of the Trabant 601. He had 26 hp, a 26-liter tank and after 26 years its production ceased in 1990. The Trabant, in German »companion«, actually accompanied the life of many DDR citizens: first as a dream, then, after a waiting period of up to 16 years, as a new car, unless you bought a used car for a high surcharge. »The car was also a status symbol in socialism and it promised a little freedom in a country without freedom. No other car has loaded in his trunk as many memories as the ›cardboard‹, comparable at most to the VW Beetle in the Federal Republic, « says curator Sören Marotz.

After a call in March 2019, people from all over Germany came to tell the DDR Museum their personal Trabant story. All in all, 26 of these memories can now be found in the temporary exhibition.

The exhibition will be on display in the foyer of the DDR Museum from June 12 to September 15, 2019. Admission to the temporary exhibition is free of charge.

Everyday life – The Wall – The Stasi: all under one roof

The range of topics covered by the exhibition of the DDR Museum makes it the perfect introduction to a complex topic. Visitors leave our exhibition enthused and informed, learning not just through the objects with which they come into contact, but profiting from our unique multi-sense hands-on experience and the interaction with a range of details and exhibits.

Our visitors see, handle and hear; they do not just read. Engaging all their senses, they hear propaganda, read original texts and laugh at knowing jokes. Come and see for yourself and find out what you always wanted to know!

A prize-winning Exhibition

The innovative design of the DDR Museum brought it two nominations for the prestigious »European Museum of the Year Award«. A survey of international visitors conducted by the German National Tourist Board established that we were the most popular museum amongst foreign tourists. But don’t just take our word for it – come and see for yourself!

All the texts and diagrams in the exhibition are provided in German and English. The pitch of the exhibition means that visitors do not need any previous knowledge and can enjoy a first-class introduction to an exciting aspect of German and European history. The DDR Museum is living proof that history need not be boring.

A family-friendly museum

The DDR Museum is accessible to all members of the family, bringing different generations together in a shared experience. The many opportunities for playful interaction ensure that children and teenagers enjoy what remains a highly-educational experience.

A range of child-friendly interactive exhibits such as our Trabi simulator and our Kindergarten installation bring children into the world which they would have inhabited had they grown up in East Germany.