Germany's oldest museum of decorative arts: design, fashion and crafts from the Middle Ages to today at the Kulturforum and in Schloss Köpenick.
May 15, 2026 – October 11, 2026
The first exhibition in the German-speaking world on the Parisian couturière Madame Grès, centered on the museum's 25-piece Grès collection and complemented by student designs from HTW Berlin.
July 17, 2026 – January 17, 2027
22 textile works and works on paper by the artist Sofie Dawo, who refined fabrics through deliberate destruction and thereby questioned the boundary between art and craft.
July 9, 2026 – February 28, 2027
Young designers create porcelain and ceramics for the table of the future.
From December 10, 2025
A presentation of the furnishings of Haus Lemke in Berlin-Hohenschönhausen, designed by Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich; on view until further notice.
March 4, 2027 – July 18, 2027
More than 100 exhibits marking the 101st birthday of the Danish designer whose colorful plastic furniture and living landscapes defined the 1960s.
The museum was founded in 1867 as the Verein Deutsches Gewerbe-Museum, inspired by the Paris World's Fair and the London model in South Kensington. It opened in 1868 with around a thousand objects acquired at the World's Fair and an affiliated teaching institution. The aim was to train craftspeople and industry with exemplary pieces.
In 1881, the collection moved into the purpose-built building by Martin Gropius and Heino Schmieden, today's Martin-Gropius-Bau. After the end of the monarchy, it moved into the Berlin Palace in 1921, where it was shown as the Schlossmuseum. Spectacular acquisitions such as the Lüneburg town council silver and parts of the Guelph Treasure made it one of the most important collections of applied art in Europe.
After World War II, the holdings were divided between East and West. The eastern part found a home in Schloss Köpenick in 1963; the western part was initially shown in Charlottenburg Palace and in 1985 received the new building by Rolf Gutbrod at the Kulturforum. After reunification, the two parts were brought together.
From 2012 to 2014, the firm Kuehn Malvezzi redesigned the building at the Kulturforum; since then it has had a large fashion gallery as well as departments for Art Nouveau, Art Deco and design. In Schloss Köpenick, the museum shows interior decoration from the Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo periods.
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5School students, trainees, university students, volunteers, job seekers receiving ALG I (unemployment benefit), people with severe disabilities (degree of disability 50 or higher) |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Children and teens free until their 18th birthday. |
| Seniors | –No senior discount listed. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €5companion free · Reduced from degree of disability 50; a necessary companion registered on the ID card is admitted free. |
| Students & apprentices | €5Students attending registered courses free. |
| Groups (10+ people) | –Groups of 10 or more must register at least 2 weeks in advance; registration fee €10 per subgroup (groups of 25 or more are split). Registered school classes free. |
| Families | –No family ticket; children and teens under 18 are free. |
| Kunstgewerbemuseum + "Many Shades of Grès" (until October 11, 2026) | €16Reduced €8 |
| Kulturforum ticket (all exhibitions at the Kulturforum, one day) | €22Reduced €11 |
| Kunstgewerbemuseum Schloss Köpenick | €8Reduced €4 |
| Museumspass Berlin (3 days, permanent exhibitions) | €32Reduced €16 |
Day tickets, valid on the booked day; online sales open four weeks in advance. Free admission for groups including recipients of Bürgergeld (citizen's income), housing benefit, basic income support or asylum seekers' benefits, ICOM/Museumsbund members and holders of SMB annual passes (BASIC, CLASSIC, CLASSIC PLUS).
According to the museum, both locations are fully wheelchair-accessible. Loan wheelchairs on request by phone from the information service (030 266424242). Only trained assistance dogs allowed.
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
Workshops for families and for children aged 6 to 12 at the Kulturforum; more activities in the family program of the Staatliche Museen.
U-Bahn/S-Bahn Potsdamer Platz; bus stops Potsdamer Brücke, Potsdamer Platz Bhf/Voßstraße, Kulturforum, Philharmonie
The Staatliche Museen recommend arriving by public transport or by bike.
Get directionsCafé at the Kulturforum (upper foyer level), Walther König bookshop (Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00). Larger bags (over 30×20×10 cm) must be checked; no luggage.
The Kulturforum and Schloss Köpenick can be rented outside opening hours through the event company Museum&Location.
Inquiries & details| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Generally allowed; commercial use requires permission, and restrictions may apply in individual exhibitions. |
| Good to know | Public guided tours, curator tours and concerts (especially in Schloss Köpenick); group tours can be booked through the online ticket shop or the information service. Eating and drinking not allowed in the exhibitions. |
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