The glass staircase
I. M. Pei's spiral glass stair, open to all and worth stepping in for even a few minutes.
Jörg Zägel — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). — CC BY-SA 4.0
The German Historical Museum occupies the Zeughaus, the oldest building on Unter den Linden, originally an armoury put up in the early eighteenth century. Beside it stands a modern wing of glass and stone by the Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei, whose spiral glass staircase has become a landmark in itself. One important point before visiting: the permanent exhibition telling the full sweep of German history has been closed for several years for a major renovation, and what is open now are temporary exhibitions in the Pei building. These are usually good, but anyone arriving expecting a complete journey through German history may leave disappointed. Check the official site before you go to see what is showing on your date.
I. M. Pei's spiral glass stair, open to all and worth stepping in for even a few minutes.
The old building's glass-roofed courtyard, ringed by carved stone faces of dying soldiers — the most powerful thing in the building.
Changing shows on periods of German and European history, usually with English labelling.
Unter den Linden 2, 10117 Berlin
Neue WacheThe Neue Wache, the new guardhouse, is a small building on Unter den Linden buil1 minute walk4.6
LustgartenThe Lustgarten is a square of grass in the middle of Berlin's Museum Island. Ber2 minutes walk4.5
Altes MuseumThe Altes Museum is the oldest on Museum Island, designed by Karl Friedrich Schi3 minutes walk4.5
Berlin State OperaThe Staatsoper is Berlin's oldest opera house, built in 1742 on the orders of Fr3 minutes walk4.8
Neues MuseumThe Neues Museum on Museum Island is home to the most famous face in history: th3 minutes walk4.4It depends on which temporary show is on when you come. The building itself, the armoury courtyard and the glass staircase justify going in, but if you specifically want German history told from the beginning to today, that is not available at the moment. Read the exhibitions page on the official site and decide from there.
Mostly yes — major exhibitions are labelled in German and English together. There is nothing in Arabic. For more detail, an audio guide can be hired at the entrance.
You are in historic central Berlin: Museum Island is two minutes away with the cathedral behind it, and the Brandenburg Gate is ten minutes' walk in the other direction. Three or four sights fit into one day with no transport at all.