Domäne Dahlem

Current exhibitions

About the museum

The land in Dahlem has been farmed for more than 800 years. The manor house of the former knight's estate was built around 1560 and is considered the oldest surviving residential building in Berlin; later additions included an ice cellar (1709) and the horse stable (1830). In 1841 the heiress of the last private owner sold the estate to the Prussian state, which continued to run it as a state domain, while from around 1900 large parts of the farmland were built over to create the Dahlem villa colony. After World War II, the Freie Universität, among others, used parts of the site.

When the domain's fields were about to be developed, committed citizens founded the association Freunde der Domäne Dahlem in the manor house in 1976; it built up an open-air museum and revived the farming. From 1987 the Berlin Senate supported the project, and from 1995 to 2008 it belonged to the Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin. Since 2009 it has been run by the independent foundation Stiftung Domäne Dahlem – Landgut und Museum.

Under the guiding principle "Vom Acker bis zum Teller" (From Field to Plate), the domain combines an organic demonstration farm with fields, fruit and vegetable growing, livestock, and craft workshops with a museum of agricultural and food history. The Culinarium, with a permanent exhibition on the cultural history of food, opened in the restored horse stable in 2015, and historic shops and workshops from around 1900 are recreated in the manor house. A farm shop, a country inn, an organic market, and large market festivals make the site a popular destination that can also be reached by subway.

Highlights

• Manor house from 1560 – Berlin's oldest surviving residential building
• Culinarium with the permanent exhibition "Vom Acker bis zum Teller" and the KinderDomäne
• Organically farmed estate with livestock and fields, freely accessible
• Historic general store, butcher shop, and food laboratory from around 1900
• Organic market every Saturday and seasonal market festivals
• A farm with its own subway station (U3 Dahlem-Dorf)

Permanent exhibitions

• Vom Acker bis zum Teller – Interactive permanent exhibition in the Culinarium on the cultural history of food since 1850 across three floors, with media stations and the KinderDomäne (children's area) in the attic.
• Historische Orte der Jahrhundertwende im Herrenhaus – Recreations of a general store, a butcher shop from around 1920, a food laboratory, and the Armbruster room on the history of beekeeping; the museum in the manor house is currently open only on weekends during the anniversary exhibition.

Founded

1976

Operated by

Stiftung Domäne Dahlem – Landgut und Museum

Director

Steffen Otte

Admission & discounts

Admission to the estate/outdoor grounds is free (donation requested); museum admission covers the Culinarium and the manor house. Also free for, among others, the press and members of ICOM and the Museumsbund (German Museums Association).

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Outdoor grounds wheelchair-accessible; the farmyard partly has historic cobblestones. The public areas of the Culinarium are reachable by elevator; the museum in the manor house is not accessible. Accessible restroom in the country inn.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Kids’ birthday parties: not available

KinderDomäne in the attic of the Culinarium with child-friendly hands-on stations. At the HofSonntag (Sundays 14:00–17:00), 6- to 12-year-olds explore guided creative stations in the workshop; also Sunday children's theater, farm animals, and bookable family tours. Children's birthday parties are currently not possible.

Getting there & parking

Main entrance Königin-Luise-Straße daily 7:00–22:00, gate at Franz-Grothe-Weg 7:00–18:00; the gate at Pacelliallee is closed.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop

Country inn with beer garden (Wed–Fri 11:00–19:00, Sat/Sun/public holidays 9:00–19:00 with breakfast until 11:30; beer garden Wed–Fri 14:00–21:00, Sat/Sun 11:00–21:00), farm shop with organic products (Mon–Fri 10:00–18:00, Sat 8:00–14:00), organic market on Saturdays 8:00–13:00. Leashed dogs allowed on the grounds, not in the museums.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Up to 80 guests.

Rooms in the manor house, the Culinarium, the country inn, and the farmyard for conferences and seminars for up to 60 people; the country inn can be booked for private celebrations for up to 80 guests. Children's birthday parties currently not possible. Rentals through Domäne Dahlem Veranstaltungs GmbH.

Plan your visit