Jagdschloss Grunewald

About the museum

Elector Joachim II of Brandenburg had the palace built from 1542 as a moated hunting lodge called "Zum Grünen Wald" (At the Green Forest) on the shore of the Grunewaldsee. It is the oldest surviving palace building in Berlin and a rare example of the Renaissance in the region. Under King Friedrich I, the building was remodeled in Baroque style in the early 18th century, and around 1770 the Jagdzeugmagazin (hunting equipment store) was built in the courtyard to hold the gear for the royal hunts. Wilhelm II had the house modernized between 1901 and 1909.

After the end of the monarchy, the palace was set up as a museum in 1932. Today it is managed by the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg. From the end of 2006, the complex underwent extensive restoration over several years; the Cranach paintings returned in fall 2011, and in 2012 the newly conceived permanent exhibition was completed with the gallery of rulers on the upper floor.

The centerpiece is the collection of almost 30 works by Lucas Cranach the Elder, Lucas Cranach the Younger and their workshop, including portraits of the palace's builder, Joachim II, Passion panels from Berlin's collegiate church and the series of the virtues of rulers. It is complemented by early German and early Netherlandish painting as well as artworks and furnishings reflecting the Hohenzollerns' passion for hunting.

Highlights

• Around 30 paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder, the Younger and their workshop
• Renaissance palace from 1542 on the shore of the Grunewaldsee
• Artworks and trophies on the courtly hunts of the Hohenzollerns
• Gallery of rulers with portraits of Brandenburg-Prussian rulers (special tours)
• Jagdzeugmagazin (hunting equipment store) in the palace courtyard (currently closed)

Permanent exhibitions

• Cranach in Grunewald – Almost 30 paintings by the two Cranachs and their workshop show rulers and court art in 16th-century Berlin, complemented by early German and early Netherlandish painting.
• Kurhut und Krone – The gallery of rulers on the upper floor brings together portraits of Brandenburg-Prussian rulers and their families; accessible only on special guided tours.

Founded

1932

Operated by

Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg

Director

Kathrin Külow

Admission & discounts

Free admission with the SPSG Jahreskarte Schlösser (palaces annual pass). Tickets at the palace ticket desk in the courtyard café.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The palace building is not suitable for wheelchairs; the courtyard and the Jagdzeugmagazin are accessible with assistance. For conservation reasons, strollers are not allowed in the exhibition rooms. Assistance dogs welcome.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Stroller-friendly: not available

Fairy-tale and storytelling events for children (depending on the program, from age 4 or from age 7). For conservation reasons, strollers are not allowed in the exhibition rooms. Family ticket for 2 adults and up to 4 children.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Coat check: not available
• Lockers: not available

Café in the palace courtyard (Mosaik-Services, which also houses a vacation apartment and the palace ticket desk); Italian restaurant Locanda 12 Apostoli by the hunting lodge. No luggage storage.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The SPSG rents out the water terrace and the courtyard of the hunting lodge as an event venue; the on-site event management team is the point of contact.

Plan your visit