The DDR Museum has no principle objection to the interviewing by journalists of members of the visiting public in order to elicit their opinion on the museum. We would request that you first contact Melanie Alperstaedt (Head of Press Relations) before making your visit and outline the scope of your project. Experience has shown that our visitors are happy to relate their experiences and impressions of the exhibition; we would request however that you proceed with respect and not subject them 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 the exhibition room can become very noisy. Filming requires the prior permission of our Press Office. The only conditions attached to filming work is that our visitors remain free to use the museum facilities. We will not seal off any areas and not tolerate any attempt to do so.

Yes. Simply show your press accreditation. We will photograph your documents and issue you with a press card free of charge. We will issue one press card per press accreditation.

Yes, if the photographs are used solely for the purposes of reporting about the DDR Museum. All other forms of use require clearance with our Press Office.

You can take advantage of a number of interview partners. Should your interest focus on the museum and its history, the background and its plans for the future, we would advise you to address your questions to the Head of Press Relations, Melanie Alperstaedt. Should 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 Ms Alperstaedt to arrange an interview.

You can join the DDR Museum press mailing list. Please write to presse@ddr-museum.de. You will receive all press releases and our regular newsletter.

You can make arrangements to film in the DDR Museum before or during our opening hours: Mon - Sat 10.00 – 20.00; Sa 10.00-22.00. If you are reporting about 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). Please contact Ms Alperstaedt.

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

Printable press images (300 dpi) are available for download from our website. These may be used free-of-charge for reporting purposes. The copyright is “DDR Museum, Berlin 2017”. 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 14 July 2006. The opening was performed by the Culture Senator and the Mayor of Berlin. The Museum opened its doors to the public on 15 July 2006. The museum celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2016.

Whilst visiting Berlin, the Ethnologist Peter Kenzelmann wanted to visit an exhibition about the DDR. Unable to find such a museum and drawing a blank at the tourist board, he decided that he would have to open the museum himself. There were a range of museums focusing on a single topic – the Stasi Museum or the Memorial Centre for the Berlin Wall – but nothing which provided an overview of all the aspects – both positive and negative – of life in the former East Germany.

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

Our collection comprises some 250,000 objects stored off-site in a warehouse. Security considerations mean that the warehouse must remain closed to the public.

No. Security considerations mean that we cannot open our warehouse to the public. As such, it is not possible to film or photograph the warehouse. We are happy to provide press photographs of our warehouse in print quality.