In general, the DDR Museum has no objection to journalists interviewing visitors about their opinion of the museum. We will appreciate if you first contact the spokesperson Vanessa Jasmin Lemke before your visit to outline the scope of your project. Experience has shown that our visitors are happy to share their experiences and impressions of the exhibition. We would request, however, that you proceed with respect and not subject them to any form of pressure. We seek to ensure that our visitors enjoy their experience of the exhibition.

Yes. Please consider that the DDR Museum is usually well-visited and that it might be noisy in the exhibition space. Filming requires the prior permission of our press office. The only condition attached to filming work is that our visitors are not disturbed during their visit. We will neither seal off any areas nor tolerate any attempt to do so.

Yes. Simply show your press accreditation to get a press card free of charge. We will issue one press card per press accreditation.

Yes, if the photographs are used solely for the purpose of reporting about the DDR Museum. All other forms of use require clearance from our press office. Please be aware of the current General Data Protection Regulations.

A number of interview partners are available. If you are interested in the museum and its history, its background and its projects, we advise you to address your questions to the spokesperson Vanessa Jasmin Lemke. If you have any questions about the history of the DDR, our academic director Dr Stefan Wolle will be happy to answer your questions. Please contact Mrs Lemke to arrange an interview in advance.

You can subscribe for the DDR Museum press mailing list. Please write to presse@ddr-museum.de. You will receive all press releases.

It is possible to film in the DDR Museum before or after our opening hours, from Monday to Friday, before 9 am or after 9 pm. If you are reporting on the DDR Museum, we will issue a filming permit free-of-charge. It is also possible to use the museum for other purposes (e.g. as a backdrop for filming) for a charge. In either case, please contact Mrs Lemke in advance.

The DDR Museum has little natural light. Filming usually requires additional lighting. There are a number of power sockets in the museum which you can use.

Printable press images are available for download here. These may be used free-of-charge for reporting purposes. The copyright is “DDR Museum, Berlin 2021”. Other uses for these pictures require the express consent of our Press Office. Please address your requests to presse@ddr-museum.de.

The DDR Museum was opened on 14th July 2006. The opening was attended by the back then Culture Senator and the Mayor of Berlin. The museum opened its doors to the public on 15th July 2006. Since then, more than 6.5 million (as of 9/2020) people from all over the world have visited the museum.

Whilst visiting Berlin, the ethnologist Peter Kenzelmann wanted to visit an exhibition about the DDR. Unable to find such a museum, even after approaching the tourist board, he decided that he would have to open the museum himself. There were a range of museums and memorial sites focusing on specific topics – e.g. the Stasi Museum or the Memorial Centre for the Berlin Wall – but nothing which provided an overview of all the aspects of life in the former East Germany and the influence of the socialist state on its citizens.

The majority of our artefacts are private donations. Some objects are on long-term loan; others such as the Trabant were purchased by the museum.

Our collection comprises more than 300,000 objects (as of 1/2021) stored off-site in a warehouse. Security considerations mean that the warehouse must remain closed to the public.

Security considerations mean that we cannot open our warehouse to the public. As such, it is only possible to film or photograph the warehouse after precise planning. We are happy to provide press photographs of our warehouse in print quality.